A Pembroke Dock optometrist is warning that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is a 'ticking timebomb' on eye health.

Throughout the pandemic, there were 4.3 million fewer eye appointments during the pandemic.

Furthermore, there were 64,739 missed appointments at Specsavers in south west Wales.

UK wide, it predicts that there will be a £2.5 billion estimated additional economic cost of sight loss and blindness due to the pandemic between 2021 and 2024.

Andrew Williams, store director at Specsavers Pembroke Dock, said: "As comprehensive as this report is, we, along with our colleagues and partners across the eye health sector, suspect these early findings are just the tip of the iceberg.

"The pandemic meant that eye care services in the UK were withdrawn, reduced or restricted, and despite Specsavers being open for care throughout the pandemic, our stores alongside other high street opticians, saw a drop of almost 25 per cent in eye tests across the sector.

"This has led to a reduction in referrals and the treatment of serious, and sometimes symptomless, eye conditions that can lead to irreversible and permanent sight loss if not detected and managed in time. The eye health sector, and the NHS, has a ticking timebomb on its hands."

The findings are being reflected locally with up to date figures showing 5,490 people are living with sight loss in Pembrokeshire. It also shows 1,740 have glaucoma, 10,840 have age-related macular degeneration and 1,870 have cataracts.

Specsavers' research revealed 37 per cent of people in Wales have delayed having an eye test, knowing that they were due to have one or feeling like they should have one.

Reasons for doing so included fearing being told their eyesight had worsened (15 per cent) and being frightened about being told they had a more serious condition (14 per cent).

However, 84 per cent said they would be annoyed at themselves for ignoring the symptoms of an irreversible health condition.

In fact, 42 per cent of people in Wales have experienced floaters in their eyes, 35 per cent have said their eyes have felt dry and 34 per cent have suffered with headaches or migraines.

Many people in Wales have also ignored or tolerated symptoms including eyelid twitches (15 per cent), eye fatigue (16 per cent) and eyes becoming red, itchy, sore or uncomfortable (12 per cent).

And worryingly 19 per cent of people think they might have a serious underlying sight issue that they haven’t had looked at because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Andrew added: "Regular eye tests are so important. If people in Pembrokeshire have missed their appointment during the pandemic, I urge them to book. We are still adhering to strict safety precautions in every one of our stores. It’s important people keep having regular appointments – even if they don’t think anything is wrong – as many conditions are symptomless in the early stages."

For more information about the report, visit www.specsavers.co.uk/eye-health/state-of-the-uks-eye-health-2021 or to book an appointment visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/