How to keep your eyes healthy
Why do I need to have regular eye checks if my sight is all right?
Unlike your teeth, your eyes do not usually hurt if there is something wrong, but it is still important to have regular eye examinations. An optometrist is able to detect early signs of potentially serious eye conditions and other general health problems.
For example, glaucoma, where the optic nerve connecting your eye to your brain is damaged by the pressure of the fluid inside your eye, can lead to gradual loss of sight – you may not notice this until it is too late.
We recommend that most people have an eye examination at least every two years. However, some people who are at particular risk of developing eye disease may need to be examined more regularly. Your optometrist can advise you on how often you need to be seen. And don’t forget that NHS eye examinations are free of charge to everyone over 60, or over 40, who has a close relative with glaucoma. In Scotland, free NHS eye examinations are available to any UK resident.
How should I protect my family’s eyes from the sun this summer?
Too much sunlight can damage your eyesight – children’s developing eyes are especially vulnerable. To protect eyes, make sure that all the members of your family pack a good-quality pair of sunglasses. These need not be expensive, but ideally, they should carry the ‘CE’ mark and British Standard BS EN 1836:2005 – and make sure everyone wears their glasses.
If you’re going to be spending time in the pool, lake or sea, don’t swim in your contact lenses. Never wear your contact lenses while swimming as you risk serious infection. Your optometrist can advise on a wide range of prescription eyewear for water- or land-based sports and pastimes.
How can I avoid eyestrain when using the computer?
When spending large amounts of time on your computer, follow the 20:20:20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away from the computer screen at a fixed object about 20 metres away for around 20 seconds. We recommend that your computer is level with, or slightly below, horizontal eye level, and that there are no reflections (from windows) coming off the screen.
Does my diet affect my eye health?
It certainly does. General advice about what is good for your health is also good for your eyes. For instance, I would recommend that you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, which contain antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C and E. Age-related macular degeneration (AM D) is the leading cause of visual impairment in the UK and is much more common in smokers than non-smokers – so, if you smoke, the main thing you can do to reduce your risk of this condition is to give it up.
I’ve always had great eyesight, but it seems to be deteriorating. Is there something wrong?
As we age, the lens inside our eyes stiffens, making it more difficult to focus on things that are close-up. This can be easily corrected using spectacles or contact lenses. Wearing spectacles will not make your eyes worse, so there is no reason to put off seeing your optometrist about this. As well as advising you on what you can do to make your vision clear and comfortable, your optometrist will also be able to check you for the following conditions: cataract – when the lens in your eye goes misty; AM D – when you lose the ability to see central detail; and glaucoma – where the pressure in your eye damages your optic nerve. All these conditions are more common as we get older.
In between eye examinations, you can check your eyesight yourself, by covering each eye in turn (wearing glasses if you need them), and making sure you can still see clearly. Find something you can just see from a certain distance (such as the words on the spine of a book on a bookcase) and checking periodically to see if you can still see it. I would also recommend looking at straight lines, such as door or window frames or Venetian blinds to make sure you don’t see any ‘kinks’ in your vision. If you notice any changes, contact your optometrist for advice.
The College of Optometrists recently ran a campaign on ageing eyes. For further information on everything to do with the eyes, go to www.lookafteryoureyes.org
Join the Carrots Night Walk
Fight For Sight is running its annual Carrots Night Walk for the third consecutive year in London, and it has also expanded to three other cities: Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow. All four walks will take place on Friday 20 September, to coincide with National Eye Health Week.
For details: www.fightforsight.org.uk/carrots-charity-nightwalk
Unlike your teeth, your eyes do not usually hurt if there is something wrong, but it is still important to have regular eye examinations. An optometrist is able to detect early signs of potentially serious eye conditions and other general health problems.
For example, glaucoma, where the optic nerve connecting your eye to your brain is damaged by the pressure of the fluid inside your eye, can lead to gradual loss of sight – you may not notice this until it is too late.
We recommend that most people have an eye examination at least every two years. However, some people who are at particular risk of developing eye disease may need to be examined more regularly. Your optometrist can advise you on how often you need to be seen. And don’t forget that NHS eye examinations are free of charge to everyone over 60, or over 40, who has a close relative with glaucoma. In Scotland, free NHS eye examinations are available to any UK resident.
How should I protect my family’s eyes from the sun this summer?
Too much sunlight can damage your eyesight – children’s developing eyes are especially vulnerable. To protect eyes, make sure that all the members of your family pack a good-quality pair of sunglasses. These need not be expensive, but ideally, they should carry the ‘CE’ mark and British Standard BS EN 1836:2005 – and make sure everyone wears their glasses.
If you’re going to be spending time in the pool, lake or sea, don’t swim in your contact lenses. Never wear your contact lenses while swimming as you risk serious infection. Your optometrist can advise on a wide range of prescription eyewear for water- or land-based sports and pastimes.
How can I avoid eyestrain when using the computer?
When spending large amounts of time on your computer, follow the 20:20:20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away from the computer screen at a fixed object about 20 metres away for around 20 seconds. We recommend that your computer is level with, or slightly below, horizontal eye level, and that there are no reflections (from windows) coming off the screen.
Does my diet affect my eye health?
It certainly does. General advice about what is good for your health is also good for your eyes. For instance, I would recommend that you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, which contain antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C and E. Age-related macular degeneration (AM D) is the leading cause of visual impairment in the UK and is much more common in smokers than non-smokers – so, if you smoke, the main thing you can do to reduce your risk of this condition is to give it up.
I’ve always had great eyesight, but it seems to be deteriorating. Is there something wrong?
As we age, the lens inside our eyes stiffens, making it more difficult to focus on things that are close-up. This can be easily corrected using spectacles or contact lenses. Wearing spectacles will not make your eyes worse, so there is no reason to put off seeing your optometrist about this. As well as advising you on what you can do to make your vision clear and comfortable, your optometrist will also be able to check you for the following conditions: cataract – when the lens in your eye goes misty; AM D – when you lose the ability to see central detail; and glaucoma – where the pressure in your eye damages your optic nerve. All these conditions are more common as we get older.
In between eye examinations, you can check your eyesight yourself, by covering each eye in turn (wearing glasses if you need them), and making sure you can still see clearly. Find something you can just see from a certain distance (such as the words on the spine of a book on a bookcase) and checking periodically to see if you can still see it. I would also recommend looking at straight lines, such as door or window frames or Venetian blinds to make sure you don’t see any ‘kinks’ in your vision. If you notice any changes, contact your optometrist for advice.
The College of Optometrists recently ran a campaign on ageing eyes. For further information on everything to do with the eyes, go to www.lookafteryoureyes.org
Did you know?
- There are almost 2 million people in the UK who are living with sight loss that has a significant impact on their daily lives.
- Every day, 100 people in the UK start losing their sight.
- Approximately 358,000 people are registered as blind or partially sighted in the UK.
- One in every nine people aged over 60 is living with sight loss.
- People over the age of 60 are at greater risk of developing agerelated macular degeneration (AMD) than younger people.
Statistics by the charity Fight For Sight: www.fightforsight.org.uk
Join the Carrots Night Walk
Fight For Sight is running its annual Carrots Night Walk for the third consecutive year in London, and it has also expanded to three other cities: Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow. All four walks will take place on Friday 20 September, to coincide with National Eye Health Week.
For details: www.fightforsight.org.uk/carrots-charity-nightwalk