Kiwi men aren't getting their eyes tested often enough, new research reveals. Photo / Getty Images
Kiwi men aren't getting their eyes tested often enough, new research reveals. Photo / Getty Images
A man who nearly crashed his car after losing his vision is urging Kiwi men to get their eyes tested.
New research has confirmed men are much less likely than women to get their eyes tested - and for Campbell Martin, 25, it nearly ended in tragedy.
He was in his last year of high school when he realised his vision was getting worse.
"I just couldn't see from the back of the classroom," he tells the Herald. Throughout his time at university, his eyes gradually grew worse, but he kept putting off a check-up.
Then one night while driving home, he realised that he couldn't see beyond the hood of his car.
"It was just a blurry mess." He managed to make it home with his high beams on but said it was a "scary" experience.
"When I got home, I was like, how did I not crash during that?
"It was a huge wake-up call. I realised it was a big issue and I had to do something about it. It took that experience to get me across the line and realise I was ready to get glasses. I just realised how bad I let it get."
He admitted he'd put it off for so long as it was "just another thing to do and it doesn't seem immediately dangerous or bad. But it's a slow, gradual loss."
Now he's urging others to get around to it.
"I would absolutely encourage everyone to get their eyes tested if you haven't. In hindsight it's pretty obvious."
Martin represents a significant gender gap when it comes to looking after our eyes.
New research commissioned by Specsavers has revealed that just 38 out of every 100 patients seen by optometrists last year were male. Sixty per cent of men surveyed revealed that they wouldn't book an eye test unless they noticed something wrong with their vision. Just 54 per cent of men aged 35-44 had regular checkups in the past two years.
And experts say the data worryingly indicates that too many men are putting their eyesight at risk.
Specsavers optometrist Karthi Param says it's "concerning" how many males are avoiding getting regular eye tests. Photo / Getty Images
Tellingly, 43 per cent of men surveyed said they would only book a health appointment if they were repeatedly reminded by a friend, partner or family member.
Specsavers optometrist Karthi Param says it's "concerning" how many males are avoiding getting regular eye tests.
"I definitely notice a difference between genders," he says.
"On any given day the chances are my appointment room will see more females than males. But when it comes to eye health, problems don't discriminate, and men are just as likely to have issues as females."
Eye checks aren't just to do with vision, Karam says - they can actually reveal symptoms for countless diseases, from glaucoma to diabetes.
"Unfortunately, there is still the idea among many that an eye test is just about confirming whether or not you can see clearly, which just isn't true. Most sight-threatening eye conditions, such as glaucoma and macular degeneration don't present overt symptoms until it's too late, so it's crucial that everyone gets regular check-ups."
Men are also more likely to need further treatment if they do see an optometrist. Five per cent of appointments last year led to a further referral for men, compared to 4 per cent for women.
