Eye on the return to normal life
Post on 23rd March 2021
Life’s focus has certainly changed as we have had to adapt to meet the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
A significant proportion of people polled in a Scrivens customer survey found their eyesight had worsened during the past year, with over two-thirds reporting increased screen time for watching TV, shopping, work and scanning social media.
Our poll was carried out to mark 12 months since the first national lockdown was brought in to fight the pandemic.
Despite the challenges, 71% of respondents said they had kept their eye test appointments and of these 47% found their prescriptions had changed for the worse.
Of those who did not take up eye test reminders, three quarters said it was due to Covid concerns.
Such concerns are understandable, which is why we have had Covid-secure measures in place to enable people to access our services safely. Branches have remained open as an essential healthcare provider.
As restrictions ease and life returns to normal, it is hoped that people will feel more confident about having their eyes checked, especially if they have noticed any differences in their vision.
It is important to keep appointments for eye tests as they detect not only changes in our vision but are also a means of checking general health too.
With more of us spending more time in a virtual life it is worth taking regular breaks to guard against eye strain. And for those who wear glasses or contact lenses it is advisable to keep prescriptions up to date.
Some 69% of respondents in our online survey said that their screen time had increased, with one in ten putting the extra time at six hours or more a day. The most popular reasons given were online shopping, watching TV, social media, work, virtual socialising, gaming and home schooling.
Asked who they had missed seeing most during this unprecedented year, 42% said friends and 22% said grandchildren.
Let’s hope it won’t be too long before we can see our friends and family in person once again.