- Regularly have your sight checked to be sure that eye concerning conditions are detected and treated early.
- Half of sight loss cases in the world are preventable.
- A sight test, done by a qualified optometrist, can help in detecting signs of general health diseases, such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
We are already a month into 2020 and we wonder how many can say they are still keeping up with their New Year’s resolution. Exercising, travelling, saving money makes the top 10 list but keeping up with these is more difficult than it seems. Statistics show that almost 30% of the population will make a New Year resolution but by March more than 80% will have given up on their resolve.
This is why we are challenging you to keep at least one resolution. One that will not only be easy to fulfill but be beneficial for your health: have more regular sight tests. An eye test will not guarantee you 20/20 vision but will make sure that any problems or symptoms of eye disease can be picked up early and therefore save your sight. One common example is glaucoma, or what us locals refer to as ‘tension lizie’ – in most cases the person will not be aware that he/she suffers from this sight-threatening condition unless an eye health check is done.
Other New Year’s resolutions that are kind on your eyes
1. Stop smoking
Very few people realise the direct link between smoking and eye diseases. Smoking has been found to increase the risks of having eye diseases, such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
2. Eat healthily
Healthy eating with a balanced and controlled diet reduces your risk of having eye diseases. Start by having lots of omega-3 fats that are commonly found in oily fish, and lutein which can be found in leafy vegetables such as spinach. Vitamins A, C and E are also helpful. Therefore, balancing your daily diet with at least 5 fruits and vegetables.
3. Wear prescribed glasses
As we get older, we tend to develop or increase many eye and vision problems.
Wearing glasses and contact lenses are believed to make your eyesight worse as per some myths but on the contrary, wearing prescribed glasses or contact lenses helps in soothing your vision and enabling your eyes to work more efficiently.
4. Wear sunglasses
Not only are the sunglasses a fashion statement, they also make your vision more comfortable, and most importantly, polarised sunglasses protect your eyes from UV light. When choosing sunglasses, you should always make sure that they carry the CE marks.