The Spectator

World Sight Day is an awareness day coordinated by the IAPB – International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. This International Day of Awareness has been marked every year since 2000, in different ways around the world.

For this year, the IAPB are encouraging everyone to think about the importance of their eye health and support universal access to eye health ensuring that everyone counts, and this year’s theme is Love Your Eyes. They have put together an eye health guide to explain how to prevent, protect, preserve, and prioritise your vision.

The 4P Good Eye Health Guide

Prevent – Prevent many eye diseases and conditions with a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating a balanced diet that includes leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, oily fish and beans and legumes, regular exercise and reducing smoking and alcohol intake.

Protect – You can protect your eyes in many ways from environmental factors.

• Protect your eyes from UV radiation with a good quality pair of sunglasses.
• If you work with hazardous chemicals, flying debris and excessive heat you should be provided with protective eyewear.
• Maintain a regular cleaning regime with your makeup and cosmetics, disposing of them when they have passed their use by date.
• Take regular breaks from digital devices to reduce symptoms such as eye strain, headaches, and dry eye.

Preserve – Preserve your vision by attending regular eye examinations. A thorough eye examination including OCT and Optomap will ensure our optometrists obtain as much information about your eye health as possible, detecting eye conditions in their earliest stages.

Prioritise – Prioritise your eye health by living a healthy lifestyle and attending your regular eye examinations as recommended by your optometrist.

Contact your local Eye Place for more information about our eye examinations, or if you have any concerns about your eye health.