Inaugural UK Survey on Hearing and Vision Loss Initiated

The UK National Eye Health and Hearing Study (UKNEHS), the country’s first survey designed to gather data on vision and hearing impairments, has commenced across two counties. This initiative aims to compile information to assist the NHS and policymakers, representing a collaborative effort among sensory loss charities, Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), eye and hearing care professionals, and the public sector. The study indicates that the UK currently lacks precise data essential for formulating health policies and programmes, and it is estimated that 50% of all sight loss could be prevented. UKNEHS explained that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough were selected for this project due to their diverse populations, which exhibit a range of socio-economic factors and include both rural and urban areas. Funding for the study has been secured from various charities and the National Institute for Health and Care Research. To conduct the survey, UKNEHS medical professionals will visit 750 randomly chosen households throughout Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, beginning in October of the current year and continuing until February 2025. Following this, individuals aged 50 years and older will be invited to receive a free specialist assessment. Rupert Bourne, a professor of ophthalmology at ARU and chief investigator for the UKNEHS, stated: “Hearing impairment costs the UK an estimated £30bn each year and visual impairment, including sight loss and blindness, £28bn.“Despite these huge costs, the datasets currently used in the UK are of limited value, due to a reliance on international data, or UK data samples that are either very small scale, or not generalisable to the population as a whole.“There is subsequently no robust evidence-base upon which to design a prevention strategy or plan services for the future that meet the population’s needs.” The initial phase of the study involved UKNEHS teams visiting care homes in the area to survey the sensory health of residents. Nik Johnson, the mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, commented: “It’s fantastic news that out and about in the near future there will be teams visiting different areas of the county, and local people in the community will have the opportunity to get involved in this study.”