Three in five vision impairment diagnoses in Bradford due to preventable causes

THREE in five new visual impairment diagnoses in Bradford last year were due to preventable causes, new figures show.

Office for Health and Disparity analysis, based on Moorfields Eye Hospital data, shows 243 Certificates of Visual Impairment (CVI) were given to people in Bradford in 2022-23.

Of these, 100 were due to age-related macular degeneration – a disease that blurs central vision.

A further 30 were due to glaucoma and 17 due to diabetic eye disease.

These are all considered preventable causes of sight loss.

It meant, 60 per cent of new cases in the area were preventable.

Across England, 69 per cent of new CVIs linked loss of sight to age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic eye disease.

Louise Gow, the Royal National Institute for Blind People's clinical lead for eye health, optometry and low vision services, said early diagnosis and treatments are "essential" for preventing unnecessary sight loss.

"It is important to ensure everyone has access to regular routine eye checks, and for barriers to be removed to those who may face added challenges in getting their sight checked," she said.