World Sight Day 2021: Love your eyes

This World Sight Day, we’re proud to join forces with eye care experts around the world to raise awareness about the importance of eye health.

Vision Direct 12-Oct-2021 | 4 MINS READ

Every year on the second Thursday of October, it’s World Sight Day. Throughout this day, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and the World Health Organisation draw attention to the problem of visual impairment around the globe. This year's theme is ‘Love your eyes’, which works well with what we do here at Vision Direct. Teaching our customers about the importance of protecting their eye health is pivotal to our mission, and we’re extremely proud to be doing just that.

Focus on the health of your eyes

This World Sight Day is all about taking the best possible care of the health of your eyes, and paying attention to these 4 ‘P’s can help you succeed.

Prevent eye diseases
Protect your eyes
Preserve good vision
Prioritise your eye health first

Prevent eye diseases

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can do wonders in terms of preventing nasty eye diseases and conditions. Regular exercise combined with a diet of foods that are good for your eyes are the most important factors. We’re talking about fruit, leafy greens and nuts - all high in nutrient-rich necessities, such as:

Vitamin A: Spinach, eggs, carrots, meat, dairy products and fish
Vitamin C: Oranges, strawberries and tomatoes
Vitamin E: Almonds, avocado, grain products, vegetables and fruit
Omega-6 and omega-3 - fatty acids: Fish, shellfish, vegetable oils
Lutein: Leafy vegetables and broccoli
Zinc: Cheese, beans, legumes, meat, grain products, nuts and shellfish

Protect your eyes

Along with taking steps to prevent eye diseases, protecting your eyes is also super-important. UV light from the sun is particularly harmful, which is why opting for UV contact lenses makes a lot of sense. Pair these lenses with good quality sunglasses, and you’re all sorted!

Damaging light is also emitted from the screen of your computer and phone and can result in both digital eye strain and dry eyes. Taking breaks throughout the day means your eyes can have regular rests - our in-house eye care professionals recommend sticking to the 20-20-20 rule. This involves taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes while looking at something from 20 feet away. Plus, having a bottle of everclear Eye Drops on hand will help to moisture dry, irritated eyes in a flash.

Preserve good vision

To ensure your vision is as good as it can be, regular and comprehensive eye tests with an optician are vital. An eye test every 2 years is recommended for adults, especially if you wear glasses or contact lenses. In these examinations, the optician can determine if there are any changes in your vision, or if you need a new prescription. An eye test also looks at the health of your eyes, as well as your overall health. Certain symptoms may indicate high blood pressure, diabetes or thyroid abnormalities, as well as eye conditions, like cataracts or glaucoma.

Children need to have regular eye tests too - sometimes every 6 months or year, depending on their needs. What happens during a kid’s eye test? The optician will be able to assess if your child needs glasses, or if they’re colour blind. As a child’s eyesight develops quickly, guaranteeing they have regular eye tests is key. If your child squints, sits close to the television or often has a headache, this could indicate that they need a method of vision correction, or they might have an eye condition.

Prioritise your eye health

Prioritising your eye health and considering ‘Love your eyes’ as a life’s mission is the final point. You can do this by making eye examinations a part of your routine medical examination. Be aware of any signs or symptoms of eye conditions, and go to your optician immediately if you experience them. Additionally, spread the word and talk to your friends and family about the importance of protecting their eye health and having regular eye tests.

World Sight Day photo competition

Want the chance to win a $1,000 cash prize or an SLR camera? Then just take part in this World Sight Day’s photo competition.

All you need to do is submit your interpretation of the ‘Love your eyes’ theme for a chance to win. You have until the 18th of October to send in your entry - get snapping!