It’s National Eye Health Week and it’s a great time to think about whether you are looking after your eyes.
If you haven’t been to the opticians before, now is a great time to phone up or go online and book your first sight test. Lots of people qualify for a NHS sight test – you can find out if you can qualify if you live in England, Northern Ireland or Wales. In Scotland everyone gets NHS sight care.
Did you know a sight test is a vital health check for your eyes? A sight test can detect early signs of conditions like glaucoma, which can be treated if found soon enough. During a sight test, other health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure may be detected.
2 million people in the UK are living with sight loss that is severe enough to have a significant impact on their daily lives. Half of this sight loss is avoidable, so it is well worth booking a sight test, and going back for a routine check every two years, or more often if advised.
The opticians is a great place to work too. There are lots of roles, whether you are interested in health and science, business, retail, fashion and design or technology. Explore Careers in Eyecare to discover more or click here to read about the different jobs you can do in an opticians practice.
For healthy eyes, eat well, don’t smoke and wear eye protection in bright sunlight. And remember to get a sight test every two years.
Want to know if you are putting your eyes at risk? Try this eye health calculator