UK pilot study finds one in four over 50s has a vision impairment

A preliminary study involving more than 500 vision and hearing tests has found that one in four people over the age of 50 in the UK has a vision impairment in at least one eye.

The pilot UK National Eye Health and Hearing Study reported that 76% of study participants had hearing loss, while 81% had never received a hearing test.

The researchers also found that 36% of people within the study had undiagnosed glaucoma.

Through the pilot, researchers initially tested the vision and hearing of residents within care homes, before inviting people over the age of 50 in randomly selected postcodes across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to take part.

The study received a response rate of 65% in the second stage of the research.

Principal investigator, Professor Rupert Bourne, of Anglia Ruskin University, described the findings as “deeply concerning.”

“They show that sensory health is being overlooked, even among high-risk groups. We are missing critical opportunities to prevent avoidable sight and hearing loss,” he said.

Bourne highlighted that the UK does not have up-to-date, population-level data on hearing and eye health.

“This lack of data means we are unable to measure the true scale of unmet need or evaluate the effectiveness of existing services,” he said.

“The UK National Eye Health and Hearing Study aims to provide the baseline data needed to shape more effective, targeted, and equitable health and social care services,” Bourne shared.