Want to see your future? Then take care of your eyes

Your eyesight enables you to see everything you need in order for your mind’s eye to create your destiny, yet not much is said about taking care of your sight.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 285 million people living with visual impairments, the majority of which are due to chronic eye disease, yet 80 per cent of these visual impairments could be avoided if they were diagnosed and treated in time.

“Apart from the obvious devastating impact of not being able to see, there are many other reasons why making sure we all have our eyes checked regularly can avoid unnecessary suffering.

People with visual impairments are less likely to be employed and more likely to be involved in vehicle collisions, to suffer from depression and anxiety, and even merely to fall while walking,” said Norvatis Country President for South Africa, Thomas Kowallik.

Thomas said that in addition to uncorrected refraction errors that can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or surgery, the most common cause of visual impairment and blindness is cataracts. Other causes of blindness and visual impairment include glaucoma, acute macular degeneration and diabetes.

Although all eye conditions do not necessarily impair vision, they can have an impact on one’s daily life. This is why eye care specialists Norvatis have compiled a helpful guide to caring for your eyes.

How to care for your eyes:

– Have your eyes checked at least once a year, especially if you have symptoms such as red eyes, loss of vision, eye pain, bulging eyes or an altered eye movement.

– Know your family’s history of eye disease. If you have a history of eye disease in your family or you are over 40 years of age, you may need to have your eyes examined more regularly.

– Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthily and get regular exercise. Foods that are good for your eyes include fruits, vegetables and fish.

– Do not smoke and avoid second-hand smoke.

– Wear protective eye-wear when playing sport

– Wear dark glasses when going out in to the sun. Look for glasses that block out 99 to 100 per cent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.

– Rest your eyes frequently. Take regular breaks at least every 20 minutes from reading or looking at the computer, and blink!

– Be careful not to touch or rub your eyes with dirty hands. Always wash your hands thoroughly before inserting or removing contact lenses.

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