Preventing avoidable blindness – Vision Foundation
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Preventing avoidable blindness

We support projects which raise public awareness about the importance of sight tests, particularly among at risk communities and improve access to sight tests including adapted tests and community-based testing.

icon of a sight test chart

200,000 people are living with sight loss in the capital and just under 700,000 (1 in 12 adults) are living with a sight threatening condition. Unless there are bold interventions, these figures are set to increase significantly by 2030. An estimated 50% of sight loss is avoidable, but not currently avoided.  Public awareness and a stretched NHS are major contributors to these poor outcomes. The NHS recommends an eye test every two years, but over a third of people are put off eye tests due to concerns about cost and two in three parents have never taken their child for a test.