Imagine a world without sight, well…you don’t need to imagine far away just watch the series titled see and you will see ( pun intended) how chaotic the world will be without sight.
World sight day is another reminder for you to #loveyoureyes and takes care of them at all costs. It is estimated that over half of the world’s population will have some sort of eye issue in their lifetime. The eyes are a very delicate part of the body that is hardly given care or attention to until it develops some irreversible problems. There’s a long list of eyes issues from minor to major that can result in blindness and loss of sight. The world sight day awareness is held on the second Thursday of October every year and this year is themed “love your eyes”.
It is focused on visual impairment and blindness that result from preventable causes.
No one can care for you like yourself, so from this moment, I want you to pledge to care for your eyes and guard your sight. The world is too colourful and beautiful, you can’t afford to stop seeing all that awesomeness.
Eye problems range from different causes, some people are born with it, some others develop it as they become adults and some develop as a result of old age. Eye issues oftentimes resolve on their own but sometimes, they may need special care, medication, surgery or glasses. Whichever your eyes need, it’s best to hastily get it done.
5 common eye problems
How to prevent sight loss
- Regular eye checks: just as it is advised to go for regular health checks, it is also recommended that you go for eye checks too at least once a year if you don’t have an eye problem. However, if you have an existing eye condition you need to follow either drugs or glass prescriptions to protect and improve your vision.
- Protect your eyes from sunlight and direct exposure: sun shades make you look cool but it is also an essential part of your wardrobe. Excessive exposure to sunlight and dry dusty weather is known to cause dry eyes and dry eyes gradually cause discomfort in the eyes and if not treated can cause your vision to deteriorate.
- Eat healthily: the food you eat can contribute to having healthy eyes. Eat foods rich in omega 3 fatty acid, it is a source of good fats and it is found in fish like salmon, Titus and other vegetables including nuts and seeds. This fat helps to fight age-related vision loss like macular degeneration and cataract. Fish oil capsules and omega 3 tablets are available in pharmacies, so you can afford to take those when you can’t meet up with the required diet. Aside from promoting eye health and preventing dry eyes and retinal disease, Omega 3 promotes brain function, joint health etc.
- Avoid smoking: even the producers of cigarettes tell you how damaging it is to your health. It is bad for your body as much as it is bad for your eyes. Smoking can cause serious eye issues to develop and can lead to blindness and vision loss. This also puts you at risk of macular degeneration and cataract. These are the two worst eye problems to have and there’s no way of knowing until the vision starts getting blurry, that’s why at least a yearly eye check is recommended.
- Protect your eyes from blue light: in this internet age and the gadgets we have to use every single day, from phones to laptops to TVs, everywhere you turn to is a screen either for work or fun, we have to come in contact with blue light. Since we can’t do away with them, see how you can protect your eyes from blue light.
It can be very frightening when your vision begins to deteriorate, whether its blurry vision, needing more light to read, eye floaters, aching eyes or any other eye problem, don’t be alarmed, any issue that is detected early can be resolved that’s why I and every other advocate for world sight day are encouraging you to pledge today to care for your eyes, to love your eyes and encourage everyone in your community to do same.
There are lots of clinics that offer free eye screening near you. If you have a doctor, they can always refer you to an eye clinic. You can also sign up for health insurance and get your first month free.