https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/press-releases/visual-health-linked-social-position/

Visual health linked to social position

28 Jul 2016, 1:55 p.m.

How do I put in eye drops?

A new research study from the UCL Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital’s research partner, shows that poor visual health is associated with poorer social, economic, educational, and employment opportunities and outcomes.

Previous studies have shown that blindness and severe visual impairment can adversely impact socioeconomic position, but new research, published today in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology, demonstrates for the first time that even milder, more commonly experienced, visual health issues such as a slight reduction in vision in one eye may also be associated with adverse health and social outcomes.

The new findings raise the question of whether early intervention in childhood to better support the development of good vision could help advance people’s later life chances.

The study, led by Jugnoo Rahi and Phillippa Cumberland, used UK Biobank data from over 100,000 volunteers across six regional centres in England and Wales. Almost 23 per cent of participants had reduced vision in one or both eyes and approximately 3 per cent of people fell into the midrange category of those just failing to meet the legal vision threshold for driving, but no worse.

Key markers of social position were measured and results revealed that, for example, those in the midrange vision impairment category had a 60 per cent increased risk of being unemployed, 20 per cent of having a lower-status job and 10 per cent  increased risk of having mental health problems.

Jugnoo Rahi, Professor of Ophthalmic Epidemiology at the UCL Institute of Child Health and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said:

“Our findings demonstrate the impact that even slight visual impairment can have on an individual’s life, and confirm that improving visual health should be treated with the same commitment as other health inequalities. This should start with efforts directed to childhood”.

The research project is one of over 1,000 projects being carried out at the UCL Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital as part of their research programme which aims to improve the health of young people, and develop treatments and cures for conditions affecting children and adolescents.

Professor Jugnoo Rahi and Phillippa Cumberland are both members of the Ulverscroft Vision Research Group and UK Biobank Eye and Vision Consortium

Contact Information

For further information please contact Andrew Willard in the GOSH-ICH Press Office at andrew.willard@gosh.nhs.uk or on 020 7239 3043.

For genuine and urgent out-of-hours queries call switchboard on 020 7405 9200.

Notes to Editors

‘Visual function, social position, and health and life chances: the UK Biobank Study', by Phillippa Cumberland, Jugnoo Rahi, is published in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust is the country’s leading centre for treating sick children, with the widest range of specialists under one roof.

With the UCL Institute of Child Health, we are the largest centre for paediatric research outside the US and play a key role in training children’s health specialists for the future.

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity needs to raise money to support the hospital to give children who need help the most the best chance for life. The charity funds research into pioneering new treatments for children, provides the latest medical equipment and supports the essential redevelopment of the hospital. It has also launched a five year strategy to support research in to some of the most serious and complex childhood diseases. Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity is the largest dedicated funder of paediatric research in the UK and our work is entirely funded through the generosity of supporter donations. For more information visit www.gosh.org

About The National Institute for Health Research

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Since its establishment in April 2006, the NIHR has transformed research in the NHS. It has increased the volume of applied health research for the benefit of patients and the public, driven faster translation of basic science discoveries into tangible benefits for patients and the economy, and developed and supported the people who conduct and contribute to applied health research. The NIHR plays a key role in the Government’s strategy for economic growth, attracting investment by the life-sciences industries through its world-class infrastructure for health research. Together, the NIHR people, programmes, centres of excellence and systems represent the most integrated health research system in the world. For further information, visit the NIHR website (www.nihr.ac.uk).