Eye conditions can develop at any age, but for Rachel Parkinson, a routine eye exam turned into something far more sinister and fast, resulting in surgery she calls ‘terrifying’

Eye problems are considered to be something most likely to affect older people, but according to an expert, that’s not entirely true — and paying attention to signs and symptoms at all ages can be the route to avoiding longer term, and sometimes permanent, damage.

Specsavers data shows that last year, more than 30,000 people under 60 were referred for suspected glaucoma — a disease that damages the eye’s optic nerve. Early detection is vital — if left untreated, it can lead to irreversible damage and permanent sight loss.

Giles Edmonds, clinical services director at Specsavers (specsavers.co.uk), agrees that age isn’t always a factor in eye health conditions. “It’s a common misconception among younger people that certain eye conditions are something only older generations need to worry about. But the reality is, anyone can develop issues with their sight, and often these conditions don’t come with obvious early symptoms. While some conditions like glaucoma or macular degeneration are more common with age, we’re increasingly seeing issues like digital eye strain, myopia (short-sightedness) and dry eye affecting younger generations — largely due to lifestyle changes such as increased screen time.”

READ MORE: Woman, 25, has itchy legs and is mortified by ‘OAP diagnosis’READ MORE: ‘My wife got lost in Primark for 2 hours – then GP gave us worst news possible’

Despite glaucoma being one of the most common eye conditions, most people know little about it —a survey found close to a third of British adults know almost nothing about the condition —and around half of cases go undiagnosed. “Glaucoma is often known as the ‘silent thief of sight’ because it can develop without any symptoms and can result in irreversible damage,” warns Giles. “That’s why regular eye checks are so essential —they don’t just test your vision, they can help detect conditions early, when they’re most treatable.”

Here, Giles outlines steps you can take to keep your eyes as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Lifestyle choices

It’s the day-to-day health decisions that build the foundation for your overall wellbeing – and eye health is no different. “A healthy lifestyle can help. A balanced diet, staying active, limiting alcohol and avoiding smoking all support eye health,” says Giles.

Prevention over cure

With any eye condition, regular check-ups are vital. “For most people, prevention starts with early detection. At Specsavers, we recommend an eye check every two years, or more often if advised by your optometrist – and it’s important to book one even if you haven’t noticed any problems,” reminds Giles.

Risk factors

“Having diabetes, high or low blood pressure, a history of eye injury or surgery, long-term use of steroids, as well as high levels of short or long-sightedness, can all increase your risk of developing glaucoma,” says Giles. You’re also up to four times more likely to develop glaucoma if you have a close relative with the condition, so it’s important to share this with your optometrist.

Manage screen time

More eye problems are creeping in as the years pass, resulting from excessive use of digital devices. Problems can include eyestrain, blurred vision and dry eyes, and too much screen time can potentially contribute to the development or progression of myopia. Remember the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Try for full no-screen days, too.

Be sun aware

“Protecting your eyes from harmful UV rays by wearing sunglasses is another simple way to reduce the risk of long-term damage from conditions such as cataracts or macular degeneration,” says Giles. Overexposure to harmful UV rays can lead to photo-keratitis – a type of sunburn to the outer layer of the cornea. Category 4 sunglasses let in just 8% of light, making them ideal for extremely bright conditions.

Rachel Parkinson, a 49-year-old mum from Preston, who is short-sighted and has a stigmatism, was left shocked after a routine eye check-up in 2020.

“As part of my routine eye check at my local Specsavers, I decided to have the OCT (optical coherence tomography) scan. They told me it helps detect potential eye health issues, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration, up to four years earlier and it was at a very reasonable cost.

The results of the OCT scan showed the optician that something wasn’t right and they could see some abnormalities at the back of my eye. I wasn’t told at the time that they suspected I had glaucoma but they told me that I needed to be referred to my GP for further investigation. My GP referred me to the ophthalmology clinic where I received an appointment 10 months later.

I attended my first appointment at my local hospital and I was directed to the glaucoma clinic, this was the first I had really heard of the condition – I had always thought that it was something that only affected older adults. I couldn’t believe it – I had not had any symptoms at all.

I had already lost some of my sight in one eye by the time I was diagnosed, so my glaucoma was considered advanced. This loss of sight is subtle and takes place over a long period of time so it is not noticeable until an ophthalmologist points it out and then it is quite scary. Luckily, my left eye is not as advanced and I still have most of my visual field in that eye.

I had 3 monthly check-ups following my diagnosis and tried multiple different types of eye drops to reduce the pressure in my eyes, which weren’t effective for me. I had SLT, a kind of laser therapy, twice, but that didn’t work either. My eye pressures were not low enough to prevent further sight loss. So, my consultant at the Lancashire Eye Clinic offered to do a trabeculectomy on each eye – this is a surgical procedure performed to reduce eye pressures.

I felt terrified at the time of my first trabeculectomy procedure as the anaesthetist had called in sick. Trabulectomy surgery is usually performed under general anaesthetic. My eye surgeon said I could go home and return for a rescheduled appointment or have the procedure with only local anaesthetic. This involved a needle and other instruments being placed in my eyes. I decided to go ahead because I was conscious of losing more vision if I had to wait for another appointment.

I still have bouts of anxiety prior to any kind of check-up or eye test, especially when a check-up is looming. I try to be healthy. I tell everyone I know about glaucoma and how it can develop at any age. I was in my 30s. There are no symptoms in the early stages but if glaucoma is detected and treated then you will have a very good chance of preventing any further sight loss.

I urge people to keep up to date with regular health checks and routine appointments because some health issues are underlying and if left undetected could mean people are stuck with irreversible and permanent damage.

I have always followed the medical professionals advice to the letter, this is imperative. If I hadn’t done, I could have risked losing more of my vision.”