The prevalence of vision problems is growing in the United Kingdom, putting the elderly in a more vulnerable position. According to a report by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), over two million people are living with sight loss in the UK. Of that number, nearly 80% are from the older population aged 65 and above. The RNIB also predicts that the number of people experiencing sight loss will double and reach 4 million by 2050, making access to eye care all the more crucial.

Ocular problems like cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma are all age-related. Thus, people experiencing vision issues may be at risk of going blind as they grow older, especially with challenges in accessing eye health care services. But what is being done to mitigate these risks? Below, we take a look at the state of elderly eye care in the UK and what’s being done to bridge the gaps.

Hindrance to elderly eye care

Backlogs in the National Health Service (NHS) waiting list continue to be a primary barrier to the ageing population’s access to eye care. Data published by NHS England shows that there were over 7 million people on waiting lists last December 2022; of that number, around 630,000 were waiting for an appointment with an ophthalmologist. Due to the capacity challenges faced by the NHS, an estimated 22 people end up with severe or permanent sight loss every month, as reported by the Association of Optometrists (AOP). The AOP also says eye problems are more common in elderly patients, making the older population more at risk for blindness. But what alternatives are being implemented to prevent this?

Bridging the gap

Accessing eye care services can be difficult for elderly people with mobility issues and other health concerns that may hamper their ability to communicate their eye care needs. This is especially true for people living in care homes who cannot go outside. As a response, Specsavers offers home visits to provide eye care services to residents who cannot leave their nursing homes. In 2022, the group of mobile opticians provided more than a quarter of a million glasses to care home residents and referred more than 2,500 people in Wales for eyesight treatment. This helps bring ocular health care closer to older people who have no means to visit an eye doctor.

The increasing popularity of e-commerce has also made eye care services more accessible. These online retail stores help minimise the need for older people to travel to brick-and-mortar stores. Glasses Direct is an online eyewear retailer that offers a diverse range of glasses frames that seniors can wear, such as the Elaine and Grayson. Through its Home Trial feature, older adults can also try up to four frames, which will be delivered directly to their homes so they can wear and select the best possible option before going back to the site and ordering their preferred frames. That way, travel time is reduced, and elderly people with mobility issues can still access eyewear options from the comfort of their homes. 

Researchers in the UK have also developed an artificial intelligence (AI) program that is capable of detecting and treating eye disorders through retinal images. RETFound is an AI model that uses millions of eye scans from the NHS to pick up early signs of blindness. This can provide a huge boost in the accurate diagnosis of ocular problems that can threaten the eyesight of older adults, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other diseases that the human eye can overlook. RETFound can also reduce the workload of eye doctors in analysing retinal images, thus potentially making waiting times in hospitals or even in the NHS much faster. 
Access to eye care remains a problem that threatens the eyesight of the elderly in the UK. Luckily, initiatives are in place to bridge this gap and reduce the likelihood of age-related vision loss across the country. For more articles like this, visit The Pembrokeshire Herald website.

THE PEMBROKESHIRE LIBRARY SERVICE is a well-used and much loved service, which is available to everyone. However, we need to make changes to this service to reduce its cost as part of wider measures to reduce costs across all of Pembrokeshire County Council’s services.

Public Library Services across the UK are having to make difficult budget decisions, and we are no exception.

New Council Leader Cllr Jon Harvey said: “Like every department in the Council, we have to reduce our costs. It is imperative that we do so with a full understanding of what people need from our Library Services so that we can focus the resources that we have on those in most need.

“As such, we are launching an extensive Library Needs Assessment exercise, which will include public meetings, focus groups, one-to-one discussions with key stakeholders and a survey. This is an opportunity for local people to help us to shape the future of libraries in the county.”

Cllr Harvey added: “Nine years ago, the Library Service faced similar budget challenges and undertook a similar Needs Assessment. That work led to the creation of a number of important partnerships with local communities and Town and Community Councils, which helped to protect libraries from closure.

“I am confident that by working together again, and getting an up-to-date understanding of people’s needs, we can find a way through this new challenge which will allow us to continue to provide services for all our population while in particular, protecting the most vulnerable.”

An extensive programme of engagement with residents, community groups and stakeholders will start from Wednesday, 15th May and will run through until 6th August.

This consists of:

• A questionnaire survey available online and in paper copy (from libraries and other front facing PCC service points such as leisure centres and the archives)
• Six public meetings across the county during June – dates and venues information is below
• A range of focus groups and one to one conversations with key stakeholders

All feedback received will be properly considered, and the findings will be used to help us to develop options, which we will formally consult on later in the year.

Public meetings are planned for:

Monday 10^th June, Fishguard Town Hall, 6.30-8.30pm

Wednesday 12^th June, County Hall, Haverfordwest, 6.30-8.30pm

Monday 17^th June, Pembroke Town Hall, Main Street, 6.30-8.30pm

Wednesday 19^th June, Pater Hall, Pembroke Dock, 6.30-8.30pm

Tuesday 25^th June, Greenhill Centre, Tenby, 6.30-8.30pm

Thursday 27^th June, Milford Haven Library, Cedar Court, 6.30-8.30pm

These meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend.

Booking is not essential, but it would help us greatly if we have a rough estimate of expected numbers, so if possible, please could you register your interest in advance online, anytime after 20th May. Thank you.

A PLEA by a concerned parent to keep Pembroke Dock’s Anchorage Day Centre open was heard at a full meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council.

The Anchorage Day Care Centre in Pembroke Dock has been a “safe and happy place” for adults with learning difficulties and additional needs for decades.

In more recent years it has expanded to support elderly dementia sufferers.

But now the centre is expected to close, with services instead being offered elsewhere in the county, including Haverfordwest and Milford Haven.

A series of engagement events have taken place at The Anchorage recently, outlining the reasons and the options in continued service.

One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “One young woman who attends ran out of the first meeting sobbing when she was told it was going to close. Another, at the second meeting, tried to address the meeting but was so choked up at the thought of not seeing her friends anymore she could hardly speak.”

In a submitted question heard at the May 9 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, concerned parent Peter Welsh asked: “Is the council aware of the huge impact the impending closure of the Anchorage Adult Day-care Centre in Pembroke Dock is already having to the health and mental wellbeing of my daughter and 20 other vulnerable adults with special needs and learning difficulties, who are unable to cope with changes to routine, or to process and understand what is happening to them?

“And would the council, therefore, please review its closure decision and retain the centre and the vital and invaluable service it provides not only to the individuals concerned but also to the parents?

“If not, what specific measures does the cabinet member have in place to support my daughter and these other individuals who need extra assistance to enable them to maintain their independence, value and allow their carers to have valuable respite from their caring responsibilities and what are the estimated costs for these substitute measures?”

Responding, Cabinet Member for Social Care & Safeguarding Cllr Tessa Hodgson said an engagement with service users, carers and families was made immediately after staff were informed about the potential closure following the council’s March budget setting.

Members were told two sessions were held with all concerned, with a list of alternative day opportunities in the county outlined, with opportunities to attend short sessions at the other centres being available so they “can fully explore which opportunity is best suited to their needs and wants”.

“All service users of the Anchorage will be offered alternative day centre arrangements in order to preserve their independence and also to support the caring needs of their families, these assessments are still taking place and are likely to continue to do so at least until the end of May.”

Cllr Hodgson said she was unable to provide estimated costs of the new arrangements until all the assessments were in place, hoping to update members at a future date.

An online e-petition, on the council’s own website has been launched calling for the Anchorage to stay open.