Making May purple

Vision Express turned a purple spotlight onto its flagship store on London’s Oxford Street last week as it announced successful results for a year-long initiative that it has been running with the Stroke Association.

Partnering with the charity last May to offer free blood pressure checks in selected stores, Vision Express reported that one-in-four of the referrals that it has made have been life-saving.

Over 380 people have taken advantage of the Know Your Blood Pressure drop-in clinics that have been offered in 20 Vision Express practices across the UK, it was confirmed.

The multiple established the scheme in partnership with the Stroke Association after learning that high blood pressure is a contributing factor to around half of all strokes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

May marks the Stroke Association’s annual awareness month, during which the charity aims to raise awareness of the factors that can be linked to an increased risk of a stroke through its Make May Purple tagline. Supporting the initiative, Vision Express is seeking to educate its patients about the impact a stroke can have on vision, with 60% of stroke survivors experiencing vision problems.

Vision Express confirmed that it will continue its Know Your Blood Pressure initiative during 2017. CEO of the multiple, Jonathan Lawson, said: “We’re proud to be working with our charity partner, the Stroke Association on these Know Your Blood Pressure events. The fact almost 400 people had their blood pressure readings taken in our stores illustrates the importance of this health partnership, which has received national recognition from industry award schemes.”

“Many people are still unaware of the dangers of high blood pressure and that many stroke survivors can have lasting visual issues that our trained optometrists can help with. Vision Express is committed to continuing to raise awareness of the help and treatment available for stroke survivors, and lending our support to the important work the Stroke Association does,” he concluded.