DORSET residents have been urged to make sure they have regular eye tests after a report said more than 200,000 Britons a year lose their sight through glaucoma.

Steve Taylor, optometric adviser to the county's primary care trusts, spoke out as the Royal National Institute for the Blind launched a campaign to raise awareness of the disease.

More than half a million people in the UK have glaucoma, which is the most common preventable cause of blindness. Many people are unaware they have the condition but early diagnosis is the key to successful treatment.

Mr Taylor said: "A check-up every two years is a good idea, even if you think you're seeing perfectly well.

"There are no particular symptoms of glaucoma and by the time you have symptoms, the chances are that it has been there for some time."

Steve Winyard, head of public policy at the RNIB, said: "Up to 40 per cent of useful sight can be lost before a person realises anything is wrong - but if caught early enough, glaucoma can be treated successfully in nearly all cases and no sight need be lost."

The charity estimates that one in five people have never heard of glaucoma. Just two per cent of those who were aware of it knew it could lead to tunnel vision, and only three per cent knew the disease could have no symptoms.

Glaucoma is a condition in which the optic nerve becomes damaged, often due to increased pressure of fluid in the eye.

It is most often caused by eye surgery, advanced cataracts, tumours or diabetes. The majority of patients use eye drops to reduce the pressure, but in some cases laser treatment or surgery may be necessary.

The RNIB is calling on the government to fund a major public education campaign to promote the importance of eye tests to ensure the early detection of eye disease and the prevention of blindness.

The charity is holding a series of seminars for health and social care professionals around the country.

Anyone over 60, on income support or in full-time education up to the age of 19 is entitled to a free eye test.

People who have a close relative with glaucoma are entitled to a check every 12 months.

First published: May 25