Did you know that there is an entire week dedicated to prioritising our eye health? National Eye Health Week 2024 will take place from 19th – 25th August and aims to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of our eyes and attending regular eye tests so, let’s take a look at this important national campaign.
National Eye Health Week 2024
Did you know that as of September last year, there are more than 2 million people in the UK who are living with sight loss that is serious enough to impact their day-to-day lives? This includes around 340,000 people who are registered as partially sighted or blind, and the total number of people impacted by sight-loss is estimated to be around one in thirty people currently living in the UK.
These huge numbers are only expected to increase, and the number of people with significant vision issues and sight loss is predicted to total 2.7 million by 2030 alone. Whilst we are able to address the cause and progression of vision loss with glasses, surgery, and even antibiotics, there is no cure for blindness; which is why the main focus of this awareness campaign is prevention.
Detection and Prevention
Educating yourself on common vision issues and making sure that you are doing what you can to protect your eyes is the best way to tackle vision problems. Preventing issues is so much more effective and easier than treating them later, and catching them early often reduces the risk of complications or other long-term effects, so rather than waiting until you notice concerning symptoms, or brushing off any issues as normal, familiarise yourself with these vision-saving tips:
- Protect Your Eyes: It’s important to protect and preserve what you already have, so wear sunglasses on sunny days to shield your eyes, use safety glasses if your job requires them, and always wash your hands before touching your eyes or handling contact lenses.
- Healthy Diet: A quick, simple, and very effective way to care for all areas of your body is to eat a balanced diet and prioritise foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, and to drink plenty of water to keep your eyes hydrated.
- Manage Conditions: Work with both your GP and optician to manage health conditions that can lead to eye problems, including diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
- Limit Screen Time: If you spend a lot of time in front of screens it’s a good idea to use blue light filters, either on the screen or in your glasses, reduce brightness, and to follow the 20-20-20 rule throughout the day.
- Visit the Opticians: Finally, the most important preventative and detection measure – book yourself in for regular tests, even if you don’t notice any symptoms.
The Importance of Regular Eye Examinations
As the majority of eye disorders often develop without noticeable symptoms in their early stages, the best way to care for your long-term vision is to attend regular eye tests. Far too many of us put off routine visits to the optician, dentist, or even GP unless there is a serious issue with our health, but visiting the optician allows us to assess the current condition of your eyes and keep track of any changes.
Our two on-site examination rooms are fully equipped with the best optical equipment to give us a complete overview of your eye health during your examination. From here, we are able to check your current glasses prescription, identify any blind spots and eye diseases, and create digital scans of your retina to make sure that any issues are picked up early. If we find any causes for concern, we are able to provide you with effective solutions and refer you to specialists to slow or even halt the progression of these conditions, so make sure that you never leave more than 2 years between visits to our opticians.
National Eye Health Week with Dominic Tunnell Opticians
Make the choice to focus on your eyes and prioritise your health this National Eye Health Week by booking yourself in for an examination and reminding your loved ones to attend regular appointments as well.
