The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is showing what life is like for someone with cataracts as it calls on the public to look after their eye health.

This photo of the Eden Project has been altered to simulate what it is like to suffer from cataracts - a normally age-related condition where the lens of the eye becomes cloudy.

Today (Sep 21) is the start of Eye Health Week and the RNIB is reminding people of the role that high street optometrists can play in eye care, at a time when hospitals are facing backlogs in appointments caused by delays and cancellations as a result of lockdown.

Louise Gow, Specialist Lead in Eye Health at RNIB, said: “It’s very important that people in the South West look after their eyes in order to avoid unnecessary sight loss.

"The most common sight conditions in the UK, including cataracts, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can be detected during a routine eye test. With optometrists re-opening after lockdown, we are urging anyone who is due an eye test to get in contact with their optician and book an appointment."

Numerous safety measures have been put in place at optometrists to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus, including asking people to arrive exactly at the time of their appointment to avoid full waiting rooms or delays, staff wearing full PPE and social distancing between staff and patients where possible.

The past few months have seen a shift in how high street optometrists provide support. Many opticians have been open throughout lockdown to advise over the phone or see people who were worried about their vision face-to-face. In many areas, optometrists were involved in providing expertise for the Covid Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES).

Since the easing of lockdown, they have been supporting hospital eye clinics by managing some of the routine assessments that hospital teams are not able to see yet, such as checking eye pressures and triaging minor eye conditions. These services are in addition to the specialist optometry services that were already been in place.

If you have any concerns about your vision, contact RNIB’s Sight Loss Advice Service on 0303 123 9999 or visit rnib.org.uk/eyehealth.