Time to Love Your Lenses: Vision Express Highlights Britain's Eye Health Hangover

LONDON, March 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

New research from Vision Express to mark Love Your Lenses Week (24-30 March) has revealed the extent of Britain's eye health hangover. The leading optical retailer reveals that nearly one in ten of Britain's nearly four million contact lens wearers are failing to take their vision seriously by admitting they don't have a care routine at all, with 50% confessing they've let their lens care lapse after a night out^[1].

Vision Express commissioned the poll of 1000 UK adult contact lens wearers to highlight the extent of poor aftercare and the risks associated with wearing dirty or damaged lenses including infection and in the worst cases, lasting damage, revealing that:

• 65% of Brits routinely forget to remove their contact lenses with the average wearer doing so three times a month
• Over a a third (36%) sleep with their lenses in
• Just under a fifth (18%) don't properly wash their hands before putting lenses in
• Nearly 1 in 10 (9%) use tap water instead of solution for cleaning

Meanwhile, when it comes to the most common reasons for lapse in routine, a night out is the most likely culprit (49%) and other offenders include:

• 42% forget to love their lenses when too tired
• A quarter (25%) omit their routine with they travel

It's therefore alarming that a fifth of Brits (20%) will wait up to four years between contact lens health check appointments rather than the annual maintenance check recommended by The General Optical Council and Vision Express.

Jay Ghadiali, Director of Professional Services Vision Express said, "The risks of wearing contact lenses are very small and the benefits worthwhile, but the need to educate the British contact lens wearers on aftercare is critical as this is what can lead to infection or long-term issues for wearers. We're proud to support Love Your Lenses Week, as the eye health of our customers and their families is our absolute priority."

About Vision Express 

Vision Express is one of the largest optical retailers in the UK and part of GrandVision,the global leader in optical retail operating in more than 40 countries, spanning over 6,500 stores and online.

With almost 600 stores nationwide, Vision Express first opened its doors in Newcastle in 1988. Built on a passion for the profession, it has gone from strength to strength, driven by a commitment to unparalleled customer service and providing the best individual optical care, the right product and great value. Customers can select from a vast range of genuine designer brands and the latest technology lenses, through to complete glasses from £39.

With almost 6,000 employees, Vision Express makes a significant difference to the communities it operates within, and the organisations it chooses to support. As part of its commitment to Vision. Taken Seriously, and as a responsible and caring retailer, Vision Express is proud to partner with a range of healthcare charities, which have touched the lives of customers and teams. These companies provide vital support to people affected by vision-related conditions. They are part of the Vision Express Charity Project and include:

• Childhood Eye Cancer Trust (CHECT)
• International Glaucoma Association
• Macular Society
• Stroke Association
• Temple Street University Hospital
• Brake

About Love Your Lenses 

About Love Your Lenses Love Your Lenses activity is orchestrated by the General Optical Council with involvement and support from opticians, industry partners and manufacturers around the UK.

About GOC  

About the General Optical Council The GOC is the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Its purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct amongst opticians. The GOC currently registers around 29,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses.

References:

1. The Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers as of April 2016

SOURCE Vision Express