NCBI would like to see a focus on attitudes towards older people with sight loss and awareness on the prevention and management of sight loss in the National Positive Ageing Strategy.

The attitudes of individuals and the community on sight loss can have a very real impact on dealing with reduced vision, which has an effect on the entire family dynamic. In many cases people are either afraid to admit to reduced vision or accept it as a natural part of the ageing process. They fear becoming dependent on family and friends, losing their driving licences and may feel that it is a failing to admit to experiencing difficulties with their eyesight. They may not realise the services that are available to people with low vision and see NCBI as an organisation for totally blind people and do not identify with that image.

In some cases sight loss can be delayed, treated or managed to prevent further deterioration if it is caught on time. People over the age of 40 should have a thorough eye exam every two years, where an optometrist may notice the signs of conditions like glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration (AMD) before the individual has noticed a change in their vision. Early detection is the key to preventing unnecessary sight loss but many people are unaware of the benefits of regular eye exams.