Did you know that this week is National Eye Health Week?
This event, which takes place from the 18th to 24th September, highlights the importance of caring for your eyes and offers advice on how to do this, which includes having regular eye examinations.
The organisers, Vision Matters, have added lots of interactive activities to their website such as an ‘Eye Health Calculator’, ‘Sight Loss Simulator’ and informative podcast, which help to assess your own eyes and educate on preventative measures.
Research suggests that millions of people are missing out on essential eyecare, with ‘4.7 million NHS sight tests being lost since the pandemic’ and ‘1 in 5 people having postponed or cancelled a sight test in the past year due to cost concerns’. This means that National Eye Health Week has never been so important!
To get involved, you can share the online resources with colleagues, friends and family, whether this be on social media, in-person or by email, to help spread awareness.
The daily themes for this year are:
Monday: NHS Eye Care & Support
Tuesday: Myopia and Me
Wednesday: Digital Eye Care
Thursday: Eye on Mental Health
Friday: Live Well, See Well
Saturday: Photographic Competition Launch
Sunday: Smoking & Sight Loss
How can sunglasses help to protect your eyes?
UV protection
UV rays from the sun can be extremely damaging to your eyes, especially with prolonged exposure. It can cause various eye problems, including cataracts, macular degeneration, and photokeratitis (which we will come on to shortly).
Eye comfort
Wearing sunglasses can reduce the need to squint in bright sunlight, which can help prevent eye strain and fatigue. Squinting can also lead to wrinkles around the eyes, so sunglasses can contribute to overall eye and skin health.
Wind and debris
Sunglasses provide a physical barrier that helps protect your eyes from wind, dust, debris, and insects, especially when engaging in outdoor activities like biking, hiking, or skiing.
Preventing dry eyes
Windy conditions and sun exposure can contribute to dry eyes, a condition characterised by insufficient tear production or poor tear quality. Eyewear can help shield your eyes from wind and reduce tear evaporation, promoting better eye comfort.
Preventing Photokeratitis
Photokeratitis, also known as “snow blindness” or “sunburned eyes,” occurs when the cornea is exposed to intense UV rays, like those reflected off snow or water. Wearing sunglasses with proper UV protection can prevent this painful, life changing condition.
We hope that National Eye Health Week is informative and helpful for everyone! And don’t forget, Genuine Style is always here to help you get the very best premium designer sunglasses which as well as protecting your eyes, are incredibly stylish too!
