Charity eyes drop in sight loss expense

PREVENTING sight loss rather than dealing with it when it happens would save the country millions of pounds, a city charity has said.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People in Edinburgh said schemes such as free eye tests and campaigns highlighting links between general health and vision should not be eased up.

It is expected around 80,000 people in the Lothians could experience sight loss over the next 20 years, costing millions to both hospital and social care funds.

Campaign manager James Adams said: "The current annual cost of sight problems to the public sector is around 17,600 per person - roughly equivalent to ten hospital admissions.

"We need to do everything we can now to contain this rise, by treating sight loss conditions as early as possible."