What: Students step into a virtual ageing photo booth to see how they might look when they reach 70 if they continue to smoke
When: 23-25 May 2011, between 11am and 4pm
Where: City of Wolverhampton College
Future Vision
As part of the Royal National Institute of Blind People's (RNIB) Future Vision tour, students from City of Wolverhampton College will enter a virtual ageing booth to see how they could look when older and learn how to reduce the risk of becoming blind later in life.
The UK wide tour - landing in Wolverhampton between May 23 and 25 - aims to show students how their lifestyle can affect their vision. It hopes to encourage them to look after their eyes by highlighting how they can prevent serious eye conditions from developing, for instance by not smoking.
Virtual Ageing Booth
The virtual ageing photo booth simulates how students might look when they reach 70 based on whether they smoke or not. On leaving the booth, students are given a 'before' and 'after' photograph of themselves, along with eye health information explaining how to avoid risk factors linked to eye disease.
RNIB's research has found that almost 2 million people are living with sight loss in the UK - but more than 50 per cent of sight loss can be avoided. If detected sufficiently early many eye conditions can be treated or managed. Not smoking and having regular eye tests are particularly effective ways of minimising the risk of developing serious sight disease when older.
Rebecca Swift, RNIB regional campaigns officer covering Wolverhampton and the West Midlands, said: "Our focus is on younger people because we want to show them, in a very tangible way, how their lifestyle choices may affect their risk of developing eye disease in later life. RNIB's Future Vision tour shows our commitment to making avoidable sight loss a thing of the past."
Smoking and sight loss
Many people are unaware of the link between smoking and sight loss despite it being as strong as the link between smoking and lung cancer. A survey conducted by RNIB showed that in the UK, 73 per cent of smokers aged 18-24 would consider stopping smoking permanently or reducing smoking to avoid blindness in later life.
The booth was designed by Hartnell Creative Communication Ltd.
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Notes to Editors
The media are invited to have a go in the pod. To arrange this please contact Emma Mercer, RNIB Media Relations Officer, on 020 7391 2223 or pressoffice@rnib.org.uk Out of hours mobile 07968 482812.
For college media enquiries contact Julie Stanley on 01902 317580, or Lesley Cross, Student Welfare Manager, on 01902 836000.
Students using the booth and a spokesperson from RNIB and the college are available for further comment and interviews.
Photos are available on request.
Every day around 100 people in the UK start to lose their sight. There are almost 2 million people in the UK with sight problems. RNIB is the leading charity working in the UK offering practical support, advice and information for anyone with sight difficulties. If you, or someone you know, has a sight problem RNIB can help. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk
Facts about smoking and sight loss
Over one and half million people in the South East* may unknowingly be doubling their risk of sight loss
The link between smoking and the sight condition age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has proven to be as strong as the link between smoking and lung cancer, yet few people are aware that smoking can damage your eye sight. AMD is the UK's leading cause of blindness in the UK. Around 500,000 people in the UK have AMD and an estimated 54,000 people have the condition as a result of smoking. Smoking is the only proven cause of AMD that people can do anything about, but most people are not aware of the link and have not heard of the condition.
Research shows that awareness of AMD is low and that only 40 per cent of people in the UK believe that smoking can harm sight. However, at the same time seven out of 10 smokers would either stop smoking permanently or cut down to avoid blindness in later life.**
How does smoking affect your sight?
Smoking doubles your risk of sight loss. Tobacco chemicals damage the blood vessels behind your eyes and increase your risk of developing Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Research shows that the risk to your sight is increased by anything from two to four times. Smoking is also associated with other eye diseases including nuclear cataract.
What happens if I stop smoking?
The good news is that if you stop smoking the risk of losing your sight decreases over time. Research has shown that people who stopped smoking 20 years ago have a similar risk of developing AMD as non-smokers.
Why are regular eye tests important?
A regular eye test is a vital health check - it can help detect eye diseases before you notice any effect on your sight. Early treatment can often prevent your sight from getting worse. We recommend that you have an eye test at least once every two years or more often if advised by a health professional.
Regionally the highest prevalence of smokers is in the North West, where 23 per cent of people were cigarette smokers. The prevalence of cigarette smoking was lowest, at 18 per cent, in the South West.
Regions percentage smoking cigarettes 2009 (aged 16 and over)
North East 22
North West 23
Yorkshire and the Humber 22
East Midlands 19
West Midlands 22
East of England 19
London 22
South East 19
South West 18
All of England 21
* 1,520,000 smokers in the South East in 2009. Census 2001
** AMD Alliance International: Awareness of age-related macular degeneration and associated risk factors. Report on global survey conducted by EOS Gallup Europe in 2005.