Eye Health
- Get your eyes examined regularly. Click here to request an appointment.
- Don’t smoke.
- Eat well including green leafy vegetables, brightly coloured fruits, and oily fish.
- Drinking plenty of water and clear fluids.
- Regular screen breaks.
- Taking care of your general health.
- UV protection in sunglasses, in your general spectacles, contact lenses, by protecting your eyes with wide brimmed.
* Guidance from NHS on eye health
* Guidance from the College of Optometrists
| Eye Condition | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
|
Flashes and Floaters |
Flashing lights and floating specks in your vision are
usually quite harmless, but something to have
checked as soon as possible.
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Retinal Detachment |
A very urgent condition, left untreated can cause irreparable sight loss. |
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Glaucoma |
Glaucoma is a common eye condition where the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes damaged. It requires ongoing treatment. |
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Diabetic Retinopathy |
In diabetics (Type I or Type II), changes at the back of the eye is referred to as retinopathy. Diabetics should attend for hospital checkups and sight tests regularly. |
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Macular Degeneration |
Changes to the back of the eye at the macula, which is responsible for both central vision and clarity of vision. This requires treatment. |
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Cataracts |
A very common condition; Cataracts are when the lens, a small transparent disc inside your eye, develops cloudy patches, causing blurry, misty vision. |
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Posterior Vitreous Detachment |
This is where the vitreous becomes more liquid than jelly-like and comes away from your retina. |
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Subconjunctival Haemorrhage |
Bleeding from the tiny blood vessels under the conjunctiva, the membrane that covers the white of the eye. |
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Chalazion |
This is a lump on the eyelid that is caused by the inflammation and blockage of a sweat gland. |
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Stye |
A stye is an infected gland along the edge of eyelid. |
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Conjunctivitis |
An allergy or infection that affects the conjunctiva, which causes a red eye. |
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Blepharitis |
A skin condition causing ‘dandruff’ like flakes along the eyelids and amongst the eyelashes. |
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Dry Eye |
A very common condition with a large number of symptoms and causes, in most cases easily treated. |
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is the inability to focus on things that are at normal reading distance, such as text on your mobile phone and print on packaging. It is a natural part of ageing and happens as your lens loses elasticity.
Presbyopia occurs as we get older – and will happen to everybody – even those who have never previously had a problem with their eyesight. It usually starts to become noticeable in your late 30s or early 40s.
Get more information from the College of Optometrists here.
The Ageing Eye
Along with age – related changes to the eyes which need to be checked regularly, the risk of having a fall is strongly linked to eye sight.
Across the UK, falls are the most common cause of hospitalisation for people aged over 65, and of accidental death in those aged over 75. Undetected and untreated problems with vision play a significant role in older people falling. As we get older, we lose the ability to focus on things that are close-up (presbyopia) and find it harder, for example, to read menus or the labels on packets, messages on our phone screens or books and newspapers. We also find that we need more light to see things clearly and that it takes longer to adapt to changing lighting conditions.
Here is further guidance on this subject.