Specsavers is launching a campaign in Wales today to encourage people to act fast and visit their local optician in Brecon when faced with sudden eye problems.

The campaign comes following a poll from YouGov which found that almost three quarters (74 per cent) of adults in Mid and West Wales wouldn’t visit an optician as a first port of call if they woke up with an eye problem.

The survey, which was commissioned by Specsavers and polled 1,000 adults in Wales, also revealed that half (51 per cent) of the respondents from Mid and West Wales would first contact another NHS service (GP, pharmacy, eye hospital, NHS 111 or A&E) if they woke up with eye issues, rather than their local opticians.

With NHS hospital waiting lists in Wales having reached a record high, Specsavers is encouraging people in Wales to phone their local Specsavers store rather than turning to their GP or other NHS services if they are experiencing sudden onset symptoms to do with their vision. This could include blurred or cloudy vision, loss of vision, floaters, flashing lights, red eyes or sensitivity to light, as well as eye irritation, inflammation, swollen or puffy eye lids or ingrowing eyelashes. A number of the services are fully funded by NHS Wales too.

Many people in Wales face long delays in accessing NHS services, particularly for GP appointments. With the Welsh Government data showing that hundreds of patients in the Powys Teaching Health Board region waiting over a year for a first outpatient appointment, many opticians can provide direct care for urgent eye issues.

Michael Bradbury, lead clinical performance consultant for Specsavers in Wales, explained: "By offering immediate eye health services, we can help reduce the burden on the NHS in Wales, especially as demand for these services starts to build as we approach the winter flu season. Specsavers is here to provide fast and effective care, ensuring people receive the help they need, when they need it, and before their condition worsens."

To bring this important message to life, Specsavers has partnered with Côr Meibion Bro Glyndŵr, a male voice choir from Corwen, Denbighshire. The choir is performing a specially written song, encouraging people to take action at the first sign of eye trouble.

The choir’s performance, which has lines such as “Is it itchy? Is it dry? Someone poked you in the eye?”, was released across social media today supported by an advertising campaign encouraging people to phone their local optician first if these issues crop up.

The YouGov survey also revealed that, while more than half of the respondents from Mid and West Wales would visit an optician if they suffered sudden onset reduced vision (55 per cent) or sudden onset blurred or cloudy vision (51 per cent), only 17 per cent said they would visit an optician for sudden red or sore eyes and 12 per cent for swollen eyelids, showcasing the need to raise awareness of the wide array of eye-related symptoms that can be managed by a local opticians.

Meanwhile, of the 74 per cent who would not visit an optician first if they woke up with an eye problem, almost a third (31 per cent) didn’t know they could use an optician for these issues, while almost a quarter (22 per cenr) were concerned they’d have to pay for treatment.

Mr Bradbury added: “Our goal is to make sure even more people are aware that they can turn to us first for eye health concerns, helping them get the care they need quickly, while easing pressure on other healthcare services."

For more information about Specsavers’ eye health services in Wales, visit: www.specsavers.co.uk/eye-health/eye-services-wales