Sir Trevor McDonald, who does an incredible amount of extremely valuable work for charities around the country is high lighting the need for more awareness surrounding Glaucoma and has sent a letter to Editors of the press for distribution and circulation. The text of the letter follows:
Letter to Editors from Sir Trevor McDonald OBE
Are You 1 in Half a Million?
There are half a million people in the UK with Glaucoma, half of whom don't know they have the condition and are at risk of losing their sight unnecessarily. Untreated, Glaucoma leads to irreversible sight loss; if caught early enough Glaucoma can be treated, preventing sight loss.
Thursday 6th March is the first World Glaucoma Day. Organisations such as the Glaucoma Alliance UK are raising awareness of Glaucoma, what it does to sight and how it might affect you.
So, are you one of the quarter of a million people with undiagnosed Glaucoma in the UK? Without an eye test you won't find out until it's too late, Glaucoma doesn't have any symptoms in its early stages; people can lose up to 40% of their sight before they realise they have a problem.
Many people are entitled to receive free eye tests. People who are over 40 and have a close relative with Glaucoma, have diabetes, are aged 60 or over, who live in Scotland or who themselves or their partner receive benefits, family credit, pension credit, are all entitled.
Don't delay, make 6th March, World Glaucoma Day, the day that you find out if you are 1 in half a million, get an eye test.
Yours faithfully,
Sir Trevor McDonald OBE
