Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT VIEW

Britons name The Lake District as the UK’s most outstanding sight

The rolling hills, slate-roofed villages and tranquil waters of Cumbria’s famous Lake District have been named the UK’s favourite sight, according to a new survey by PreserVision, the eye vitamin and mineral supplement for preserving eye health.

Beating the Scottish Highlands, The White Cliffs of Dover and Stonehenge, The Lake District came out top in the poll which questioned over 2000 people on their attitudes to sight loss.

Britain’s top ten sights were revealed as:

The Lake District
The Scottish Highlands
The White Cliffs of Dover
Stonehenge
Houses of Parliament
Snowdonia
The Giant’s Causeway
Edinburgh Castle
Canary Wharf
Oxford’s Dreaming Spires

Birmingham’s Spaghetti Junction was named Britain’s greatest eyesore with The Millennium Dome and Newcastle’s infamous ‘Angel of the North’ close behind.

Britain’s top ten eyesores were revealed as:

Birmingham’s Spaghetti Junction
The Millennium Dome
Newcastle’s Angel of the North
Battersea Power Station
The Birmingham Bullring
Didcot Power Station
Swindon’s Magic Roundabout
The London Gherkin
The Tate Modern
London’s Telecom Tower

The survey also revealed interesting information about the attitudes of Britons towards their eyesight. Over 90 per cent said sight was the sense they prized most highly, with 66% saying they would rather lose their libido, continence and even their mobility rather than their sight.

Family First

Almost a third said their greatest concern about deteriorating eyesight in old age was the inability to see loved-ones. One in three said their greatest visual memory of all time was seeing the birth of a child.

Although one in three appreciated the importance of wearing glasses to aid vision, just 21 per cent recognised the importance of vitamin and mineral supplements in treating common eye diseases such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Philip Lewis Williams from PreserVision said: “While over 66% of respondents correctly identified that AMD stands for age-related macular degeneration, almost three quarters didn’t realise that it is the UK’s leading cause of blindness, betraying a lack of awareness about the prevalence of the disease.”

Five per cent of the UK population currently suffers from Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) the most prevalent cause of vision loss in the Western world. This disease of the macula – the central part of the eye which allows a person to see fine detail, gradually destroys the sharp, central vision which is needed to see objects clearly.

The importance of supplements has become widely recognised in protecting against AMD. A landmark 10-year eye health study1 conducted by the USA National Eye Institute (NEI), the study monitored health in over 4,000 50-80 year-old participants, and found that vitamin and mineral supplements were effective in preserving eye health in those susceptible to age-related changes.

Andrew Lotery, Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Southampton, said: “Oral treatment of AMD through supplementation is a proven and cost effective method of reducing progression of the disease. Vitamin therapy should be seen as high priority when considering patients at high risk or in the early stages of AMD.”

New PreserVision Soft Gels by Bausch & Lomb provide high levels of the antioxidants beta-carotene (or lutein), vitamins C and E and zinc, and provide the only formulation tested in a major 10-year eye health study. PreserVision Original and Lutein Soft Gels and PreserVision tablets are available over the counter at most Boots stores, and pharmacies, priced at £14.95 (RRP) for 60 Soft Gels.


Issued on behalf of: Bausch & Lomb

Issued by: Pegasus PR

Press enquiries:
Stephanie Butt or Terri Foster on 01903 821550 or e-mail sbutt@pegasuspr.co.uk / tfoster@pegasuspr.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

1 Age Related Eye Disease Study Group - a randomised, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and zinc for age-related macular degeneration and vision loss: AREDS report no. *. Arch Ophthalmol 2001 Oct; 119(10):1417-36

2 Pearce I; Dietary Supplements in AMD: RCO Focus, Issue 30, 2004

3 It is advised that beta-carotene is not taken by smokers or ex-smokers



Please note that vitamin supplement products aren't licensed as medicines and aren't intended to treat, cure or prevent any medical condition.

Bausch & Lomb

Bausch & Lomb is the eye health company, dedicated to perfecting vision and enhancing life for consumers worldwide. Its core businesses include soft and rigid gas permeable contact lenses and lens care products, and ophthalmic surgical and pharmaceutical products.

The Bausch & Lomb name is one of the best known and most respected healthcare brands in the world. Founded in 1853, the company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and employs approximately 13,000 people throughout its international office network. Its products are available in more than 100 countries.

More information about the Company can be found on the Bausch & Lomb Web site at www.bausch.com.