The Spectator

This week is National Eye Health Week and its more important than ever to know what you can do to protect your sight and what can happen when your eyes aren’t taken care of.

Sight loss within the UK is becoming a bigger issue and its estimated there is more than two million people in the UK suffering with sight loss and around 340,000 of those are registered as partially sighted or blind. Being told that you have a visual impairment can be difficult so its best to know what you can do to slow the process or manage it.

During an eye examination other health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure can be detected, as well as glaucoma which can be treated if it is found soon enough. There are many ways you can look after your eyesight by changing and improving other aspects of your life including A healthier diet which decreases your chances of diabetes, which can cause sight loss, and stopping smoking which is the UK’s leading cause of blindness. Around 79% if people in the UK that are living with sight loss are over the age of 64, and it is recommended to get your eyes tested every two years to check your vision or sooner if you notice any changes to your vision.

Another major cause of sight loss is the damaging UV rays from the sun, as we’ve experienced a lot of hot and sunny days over the past few months, its also important to know that even in winter times the harmful rays in sunlight can cause just as much damage to you. Wearing sunglasses whenever its sunny outside is recommended to protect from the Ultraviolet rays.

Testing your eyesight is just as important as any other health check-up, discovering the signs of deteriorating vision sooner rather than later means appropriate treatment can be offered. At The Eye Place we offer a variety of eye exams that can determine if any treatment is needed. 

If you’re looking to find out more contact your local Eye Place practice today.