Sir – It is International Glaucoma week and I would be glad if you could remind your readers to have their eyes checked.

Strangely, although vision is the most valued of our senses, people tend to put off having their vision checked if they think they can see adequately. Unfortunately most glaucoma cases have no symptoms until it is very advanced.

Such damage is irreversible and so it is much better to have regular checks every few years at your local optometrist’s practice where the two-three per cent who have glaucoma can be detected early and so referred and treated to prevent significant vision loss.

Despite the ease of accessible eyecare in the developed world, it is estimated from prevalence studies that 50 per cent of glaucoma cases are undetected.

Lisa Morgan, Optometrist, Oxford