At My Sight Nottinghamshire we care passionately about good eye health and we work hard to prevent avoidable sight loss by encouraging people to look after their eyes and by raising awareness about how to prevent avoidable vision loss.
The NHS recommends that everyone under the age of 40 should have an eye test every two years and then every year for people over the age of 40 or unless you have a diagnosed condition that requires a regular programme of eye screening.
Eye tests can be arranged easily with your nearest high street opticians, they are free for children under the age of 16 and for people aged over 60 and they are generally painless but they could help to detect a sight threatening eye condition early before significant sight loss has occurred.
Don’t take risks with your precious eye sight, if you notice a sudden change in your vision seek medical advice from an optometrist (optician) or from your GP.
People who smoke double their chances of developing serious vision loss. Smoking can lead to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is leading cause of sight loss in the UK.
Help to quit smoking is available from:
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol over a prolonged period of time can cause blindness and loss of vision with an increased risk of eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and AMD. Drinking responsibly will help reduce the risk of developing these sight threatening conditions. For more information about alcohol related sight loss: http://www.visionmatters.org.uk/downloads/2010-SCI-006_Alcohol_and_The_Eye.pdf
To get help and support for alcohol-related issues:
We are what we eat and this is also true when maintaining good eye health. Eating foods that are low in saturated fats but high in vitamin A, C, D, E and Lutein will help project the delicate structures of the eyes. Eating a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale and broccoli, may slow down the progression of sight threatening conditions like AMD and cataracts. Brightly coloured fruit and vegetables such as oranges, carrots and peppers and eating nuts and oily fish may also slow down the onset of a number of eye conditions. Read more about diet and sight loss: http://www.visionmatters.org.uk/downloads/nutrition-and-the-eye.pdf
Obesity can contribute to vision loss, with exercise helping to reduce the risk of sight loss from narrowing or hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure and diabetes all of which contribute directly to sight threatening eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and stroke-related sight loss. For more information: http://www.visionmatters.org.uk/downloads/2006-SCI-008_Exercise_and_Eyesight.pdf
For advice on keeping fit and getting active:
UVA and UVB rays from sunlight can damage the delicate lens and retina of the eye, leading to potential sight threatening conditions like cataracts and AMD, so it’s always best to project your eyes when out and about in the sunshine.
Wearing sunglasses, glasses or contact lenses with a UV filter will help to protect your eyes or you might try a wide-brimmed hat.
For advice on looking after your eyes in the sun:
Accidents cause many eye related injuries that can lead to vision loss. Always wear safety goggles when doing DIY inside or outside and always follow the safety instructions on a box or fireworks, or better still attend an organised display, Notts has some great events, including our own annual display at Nottingham Castle.
For advice on accident prevention and eye safety: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Eyehealth/Pages/Eyesafety.aspx
Local Eye Casualty Departments – for emergencies only, please contact your nearest eye casualty: