National Eye Health Week

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National Eye Health Week

Our team of Ophthalmologists at Sussex Premier Health treat a wide range of ‘eye health’ concerns and this National Eye Health week are sharing their advice on why it is so important to get your eyes tested regularly.

Our Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Mr Shahram Kashani says ” There are time critical conditions which can affect our vision without us being aware such as glaucoma, cataract or early macular degeneration. You can have the health of your eyes checked by visiting your local optometrist or an eye surgeon regularly.  These specialists can detect disease in early stages using advanced technology and help prevent the condition affecting your vision, at times irreversibly. Don’t ignore your eyes, vision matters”.

What else can you do to keep your eyes healthy?

Diet
Eating healthy can have a positive impact on your eye health.  Antioxidants can help to prevent retinal damage. One anti-oxidant which is hugely beneficial is lutein.

Foods recommended for eye health include:

Exercise
Lack of exercise contributes significantly to several eye conditions, particularly amongst people aged 60 and over. Exercise may reduce the risk of sight loss from narrowing or hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to serious health conditions which can have a detrimental effect on your eye health.

Smoking
After ageing, smoking is the biggest risk factor for developing macular degeneration.
Smoking also increases your risk of developing cataracts.

The sun
Protecting your eyes from the sun is very important and should not be underestimated. Under no circumstances should you ever look at the sun directly. Your sunglasses should have the CE mark on them which ensures that they are giving you the right level of ultraviolet protection