THERE are 1.3 million obese adults and 260,000 children in the south east at risk of losing their sight, according to a new report.
Last week the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), supported by Boots Opticians, released a report which found a direct link between obesity and some of the common eye conditions which cause blindness.
Helen Dearman, RNIB's spokesman for the south east said: "With one-in-five adults and children in the UK considered to be obese, RNIB believes it is vital people are made aware of the risks to their sight."
Boots Opticians said last year one in four children and just a third of adults had an eye test. Anyone who does not have an eye test every two years is at risk of missing warning signs.
One finding from the report states people who are obese are up to 10 times more likely to develop diabetes. This can leads to retinopathy - a retina disease caused by diabetes - in at least 60 per cent of cases causing irreversible sight loss unless treated early.
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