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Many people only wear sunglasses when they go on holiday or on the hot, sunny days that we have in the UK in the summer months. Wearing sunglasses more often can help to protect the eyes and help maintain the long term health of your eyes. What are the benefits of wearing sunglasses all year round? Protection from UV rays that lead to health issues Even though UV rays are less strong in winter compared to summer, UV light is still present and can cause cataracts and macular degeneration. With macular degeneration, your central vision becomes blurry and exposure to UV light has been found to increase the possibility of developing it. With cataracts, the lens of the eye becomes

Throughout an average day, your eyes have a great deal of work to do and if you are looking at screens a lot of the time, either for work or using your phone, for example, your eyes are probably not getting the rest they need to stay healthy. If you have been getting headaches, or feel like your eyes are tired and strained, you should try some techniques that will help to relax your eyes: Remember to blink If you are spending a lot of time looking at screens without looking away, your eyes can get dry because you are not blinking often enough. So, you need to remember to blink regularly which will lubricate your eyes and reduce dryness

Your child’s vision quality has a huge impact on their life and their educational progress is largely influenced by their eyesight. Children who do not get eye problems detected early and therefore do not have the appropriate treatment can face long-term consequences, as they will struggle with a variety of problems in school.   One of the biggest concerns, particularly with younger children, is that they do not always understand or communicate any problems that they have with their eyes. The reality is that they do not know any different, so are not necessarily aware that their vision is not as good as it should be.   Research shows that up to 20% of children have poor vision in one

Eye health deteriorates as people age and other factors such as developing diabetes or smoking can also be detrimental to the health of your eyes. Smoking increases eye conditions such as macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma, so smokers are encouraged to stop smoking for their overall health, including keeping the health of their eyes. When you stop smoking, you will likely see an improvement in your blood pressure which can reduce the likelihood of associated eye problems. If you are trying to quit smoking, then these are some of the most effective ways to kick the habit: Nicotine replacement therapy There is a number of different types of nicotine replacement therapies available including nicotine patches, nicotine gum and nasal sprays

Looking after your children’s eye health is not just important for helping them to progress at school with tasks such as reading and writing, it is also important to establish good eye health habits early to remain as healthy as possible throughout their life. Here are some of the top tips for taking care of your children’s eye care: Regular eye tests The NHS recommends that you get your eyes checked at least every two years and making sure your child has regular eye tests will help to resolve any common childhood conditions such as lazy eye or squinting. The earlier these types of conditions are picked up, the sooner they can get treatment and there is a better chance

Having two pairs of glasses might seem like an unnecessary expense but if you have ever found yourself in a situation where you really need a second pair, you will know exactly why it is a very worthwhile cost. Glasses are an item that can easily get damaged and are also small enough to regularly misplace. If you rely on your glasses for reading, driving or any other everyday activity then you are never too far away from a big problem if you do not have a second pair. Here are some of the key benefits of having a second pair of glasses: Accidents happen Even the best quality glasses are prone to getting broken, either from getting dropped, sat

Opticians are reporting an increase in diagnosing children with short-sightedness (myopia) since the start of the pandemic. With children spending less time outside due to lockdown restrictions, more time spent on screens and a decrease in the number of eye tests being booked throughout the last year, with over 6 million appointments being postponed, myopia is on the increase. Whilst screens don’t cause any damage to your eyes, prolonged near activities like looking at a screen can cause the eyes to feel uncomfortable and tired, causing fatigue. The College of Optometrists are calling for parents to encourage children to play outside for at least 2 hours a day. This is proven to prevent the development of myopia. This is due

When you have high blood pressure, this increases the risk of several health problems. One aspect of your health that a lot of people do not realise is linked to their blood pressure is their eyesight. People may not realise they have high blood pressure . As your eyes have some of the smallest blood vessels in your body the effects of persistent high blood pressure can be seen early by an Optician’ If not kept under control high blood pressure can have serious complications for your eyes and vision . Fortunately, there are many ways that you can manage your blood pressure to avoid any of the potential health risks associated with high blood pressure. This includes: Weight management

Not many people look forward to the colder weather that winter brings; with fewer hours of daylight and cold, dark nights, it can be a fairly miserable time of year. As well as affecting your mood, the weather can also have several health implications such as painful joints and a lot of colds and flu start to circulate more when the temperature drops. Another weather-related issue that people have to contend with is the effect that the weather has on eye health, so it is important to look out for signs of eye problems and know how to keep your eyes protected throughout the cold weather. The most common eye problems to look out for are: Dry eyes Dry eyes