People over the age of 40 are being encouraged to attend regular eye tests, so that any age-related issues can be diagnosed early and dealt with.

According to the findings of a survey carried out on behalf of Vision Express, 81% of people noticed a deterioration in their eyesight when they reached an average age of 42.

However, 60% of those over the age of 40 and 52% over the age of 60 had not had an eye test for at least one year.

Vision Express has launched an Over 40s Eye Health Campaign to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye tests.

It explained that when people enter their 40s, eyes can change. One of the most common age-related eye issue is presbyopia, which refers to difficulty reading books or fine print, eyestrain and the blurring of near objects.

The survey of 1,000 people revealed that almost 60% struggled when reading, while 49% had problems when watching TV or working on a computer screen.

However, presbyopia can be easily corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

Meanwhile, glaucoma is an eye disease that mostly affects people over the age of 60. In its early stages, it is practically symptomless and the only way to detect it is through regular eye examinations.

Over 90% of people who are diagnosed early retain some useful sight, however a late diagnosis can result in total blindness.

"As we age, our eyesight starts to change, and there are a number of things that we can do to maintain healthy eyes into our 40s and beyond. Our top tips include wearing sunglasses to prevent retinal damage and to delay cataracts, not smoking, eating a healthy diet including lots of leafy greens, and having regular eye tests, as early signs of disease and changes to our vision can happen quicker as we age," commented Vision Express optometrist, Jay Ghadali.