SPECSAVERS in Borough Parade, Chippenham, is joining the fight against glaucoma this week to raise awareness of the biggest cause of blindness in the country.
The optician is offering free eye tests to groups potentially at risk from glaucoma. FROG (For Relief of Glaucoma), Week is organised by the International Glaucoma Society. It has been running since Monday and ends on Sunday.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can lead to blindness.
Some types develop gradually, so the sufferer is often unaware of any problem until it is quite severe.
Glaucoma is often related to a change in the flow of the fluid inside the eye, which leads to an increase in the pressure inside the eye and damage to the optic nerve.
Early detection and treatment is vital and can prevent blindness.
Simple tests carried out in a routine eye examination help the optometrist to detect any evidence of the condition.
Specsavers' co-founder Mary Perkins said: "Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness in the UK and we want to make more people aware of it. Most people think that you only need an eye test when there is something wrong with your sight, but it can be an indicator of your health too."
People at increased risk of glaucoma are the over 40s, people with a family history of glaucoma, diabetes sufferers and people of Afro Caribbean origin.
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