Millions of the over-50s have undiagnosed sight and hearing loss - study

Millions of people aged 50 or over have undiagnosed sight or hearing problems, prompting calls for more regular checks for that age group.

- Denis Campbell Health policy editor

Doctors behind the findings said they were “deeply concerning” and warned that those affected were at risk of falls, mental ill-health and leading socially restricted lives.

One in four of those aged 50+ in the UK - 6.7 million people - cannot see clearly out of one or both eyes, according to the UK National Eye Health and Hearing Study.

And three in four older Britons, 20.3 million people, suffer from some form of hearing loss in one or both ears, the study also found.

“These figures are deeply concerning,” said Rupert Bourne, a professor of ophthalmology at Anglia Ruskin University and the study’s principal investigator. “They show that sensory health is being overlooked, even among high-risk groups. We are missing critical opportunities to prevent avoidable sight and hearing loss.”