Over a million of Brits struggle to read due to poor eyesight
According to a recent study by Lenstore, Brits like to read with 92% of people saying they enjoy or love picking up a book or a magazine in their free time. Looking to gauge the reading habits of the country, Lenstore revealed that one in five (19%) are planning to read more in 2022.
A quarter of brits found more time in the lockdown restrictions to read more, yet one in eight (13%) still don’t read regularly because they can never find the time and one in ten (9%) can’t remember the last time they read for pleasure.
When do we read?
The most popular times for Brits to pick up a book is before bed or when they are on holiday relaxing. Only a quarter of those aged 18-24 read before bed but over 40% of people aged 65 or above read before they go to sleep.
Younger generations are least likely to read for pleasure, for example those aged between 25-34 years-old are the least likely to pick up a book on holiday but they are the leading age group who plan to read more this year, with a quarter of 25-34 years-old claiming so.
Women enjoy reading more than men
The survey found that one in ten men don’t enjoy reading compared to only 5% of women that don’t enjoy reading. Females are also more likely to read on holiday and before bed than men. However, the research has found that men a less confident readers than women and 11% of men are not quick readers compared to only 5% of women being slow readers.
Why does poor eyesight cause reading problems?
Staggeringly, the recent survey found that 1.6 million of Brits struggle to read due to poor eyesight. Having poor eyesight when reading can be caused by multiple issues but one of the main reasons is called presbyopia. It is the slow stiffening of our eye’s lens.
This is the process of the eyes ageing and gives the eyes trouble focussing on close objects such as reading. This usually develops after the age of 40 and presbyopia will happen to everyone at some point.
Our eye’s lenses are usually more flexible when we are younger, enabling the eye to easily switch between close up and further away objects. The older the eyes get, the more it stiffens and focussing on close up objects is harder, meaning it can impact the ability to read and people will find themselves holding the book further away.
If you find this is an issue that may be impacting you, then ensure you book in for an eye check up as presbyopia can be corrected through contact lenses or glasses.
Reading struggles through eye strain can also occur due to other eye issues such as optic neuritis or cataracts. Sometimes longer reading sessions cause your vision to get fuzzy so ensure you take regular breaks and always ensure you have sufficient lighting and if needed by books with larger fonts.
Roshni Patel BSc (Hons) MCOptom, Optometrist and Professional Services Manager for Lenstore, advises that anyone struggling to read may benefit for an eye check-up: “If you’re struggling to see the words on a page or screen, it’s time to book an eye check-up. It’s also important that we look after our eyes while reading to avoid strain. If you have glasses or contact lenses, always wear them so your eyes don’t have to work harder than they need to. If you can, position a light source behind you to make it easier to read.
Most of us read off a screen every day. You should adjust your brightness settings often so the screen’s comfortable to look at. Take regular breaks, focusing on objects further away to rest your eyes.”
