22 September 2026
The charity, Eye Health UK, is urging the public not to put off having their eyes checked after new research has revealed that 14.5 million British people are missing routine sight tests.
Released to coincide with National Eye Health Week (21–27 September), the research indicated a rise in people skipping routine checks from 14 million in 2019.
In a poll of more than 5000 adults, the charity learned that 40% of those surveyed who admitted to skipping routine sight tests do so because they believe their ‘eyes are fine.’
Of those surveyed, one in six said worries about cost prevented them from having regular eye tests.
The charity found that awareness about entitlement to NHS eye care was lowest among those who didn’t attend routine eye tests (59%), compared to those who have had a sight test in the past two years as recommended (26%).
Eye Health UK found a “significant minority” of those surveyed (6.4%) who hadn’t had a recent sight test are worried there might be ‘something wrong’ with their eyes.
David Cartwright, chair of Eye Health UK, warned: “Neglecting routine sight testing could lead to a spike in advanced-stage diagnoses, overloading an already stretched ophthalmology sector where outpatient appointments are experiencing unprecedented and unsustainable growth.”
The charity highlighted that half of sight loss in the UK is avoidable and emphasised the role of optometrists in supporting patients to get the help they need for a variety of wider health issues.
This could include the 400,000 adults in the UK estimated to be living with undiagnosed heart failure and 88,000 people living with undetected brain tumours, the charity shared.
Cartwright said: “Increasing uptake of eye tests is vital to turn the tide of unnecessary vision impairment and improve overall population health.”
Urging the public to not put off having their eyes checked, Cartwright emphasised the importance of early detection of potential issues, adding: “High Street optical practices should be the first point of contact for any concerns you have about the health of your eyes.”
Simon's story
Simon Fletcher, 67, a retired senior IT manager from Macclesfield, is sharing his story as part of National Eye Health Week to highlight the importance of routine eye tests in identifying potential wider health concerns.
During a routine eye examination, Fletcher’s optometrist identified a grey discolouration around his eye. Concerned that this indicated high cholesterol, she recommended he visit his GP surgery for tests.
Following appointments with the GP and tests in hospital including an endoscopy and CT scan, it was identified that Fletcher had a “critical” blockage to the LAD artery, and a mild thickening to two other main arteries.
Fletcher had a stent implanted to reopen the blocked blood vessel and restore blood flow to the heart. He is also on statins and other medications to manage his cholesterol after it was discovered that an inherited condition was preventing his body from breaking down cholesterol and other lipids.
Fletcher said: “I’m indebted to my optometrist for spotting signs of raised cholesterol and an increased risk of a serious cardiovascular event.”
“I’d urge everyone to keep up-to-date with their sight tests. People don’t understand that it really is a whole health check,” he added.
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