Efforts to stop ethnic sight loss

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A project to boost the take-up of eye care services among ethnic minorities is to be launched in Glasgow.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland said South Asian, Chinese and Afro-Caribbean communities were susceptible to eye conditions.

Yet these communities were least likely to seek help, it claimed.

It is hoped the findings from the pilot will help inform future policy and improve access to eye care services throughout Scotland.

The prevalence of eye conditions among ethnic minority groups will be recorded, and any barriers preventing uptake of eye care services will be analysed.

Project development officer Gozie Joe Adigwe said: "There has never been a comprehensive analysis of eye health within the ethnic minority population in Scotland, so this project will be a significant first."

RNIB Scotland said ethnic minority groups were significantly more susceptible to conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts and glaucoma.

Many people from ethnic minority backgrounds may not appreciate the valuable role of the optician in screening and detecting ocular disease Sikander Sidiki Gartnavel General Hospital

Retinopathy, which is a complication of diabetes that affects the retina in the eye, is the single biggest cause of sight loss among people in Scotland of working age.

People of South Asian origin are six-times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than Caucasians, and those of African/Caribbean origin three-times more likely.

Sikander Sidiki, consultant ophthalmologist at Glasgow's Gartnavel General Hospital, said: "In the UK, the main method of eye-disease detection is by high street opticians.

"But many people from ethnic minority backgrounds - particularly immigrants or first generation individuals - may not appreciate the valuable role of the optician in screening and detecting ocular disease."

The project, which is being funded by the Scottish Government, will be officially launched by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon and local MP Mohammed Sarwar at the Ethnic Minority Enterprise Centre in Glasgow.

Ms Sturgeon said: "Thanks to the recent introduction of free NHS eye tests, Scotland is now acknowledged as a world leader in the provision of high quality and effective eye health care services.

"However, it is important that everyone in Scotland can reap the benefit of using these services, regardless of their ethnic background. This project will help to achieve just that."