One in four people risk going blind by not going for a regular eye test.
An eye test could potentially be the difference between having full sight and going blind. As well as detecting problems which can be corrected with glasses, an eye test is about making sure your eyes are healthy and identifying serious eye conditions such as glaucoma.
Action ambassador Honor Blackman led the way by agreeing to undergo an eye test to raise awareness of the importance of regular sight testing.
Not worth the risk
Our research shows that many people are unaware an eye test could prevent them from going blind and are risking their sight by not going for a regular eye test. Action for Blind People is encouraging people to protect themselves by getting their eyes tested every two years - unless advised otherwise by their optician. Don't wait to notice something is wrong before going for an eye test - by then it could be too late.
Give your eyes a rest
If you work at a computer screen then you need to periodically give your eyes a rest. Download the Action fuchsia dot below, print it off and use it when working at your computer. Attach it to a wall in the distance and look up at it roughly every 30 minutes. When you do this, you'll decrease eyestrain as your change of focus relaxes the eye muscles.
Download the Action fuchsia dot - PDF version (96 KB)
Download the Action fuchsia dot - Word version (24 KB)
Look after your eyes
Do
- Have your eyes tested at least every two years
- Read and work in good light. To avoid glare and shadow, make sure that the light falls over your shoulder
- Make sure that your computer and television screens are sharply focused
- Sit at least 30 inches away from your computer screen
Don't
- Look directly at the sun. Similarly, avoid staring at any bright or glaring lights
- Rub your eye to try to remove a foreign object. Try blinking and washing the eye with running water. If that fails, see your doctor
- Stare or gaze: blink frequently, especially if you wear contact lenses.
- Look at your computer without taking a frequent break
Protect your friends and family
Once you have downloaded the pink dot don't forget to forward this page to friends and family , encourage them to have an eye test and help protect their eyes too.
10 tips for protecting your eyesight
Follow our top 10 tips to protect your eyesight and help prevent problems arising in the future.
Help protect your friends' eyesight
Forward the Action fuchsia dot and our top eyecare tips to your friends, colleagues and family to help protect their eyesight too.
Hear it from the specialists
We talk to eye health specialist David Cartwright, Director of Professional Services at Boots Opticians, about why so many people fail to get their eyes checked regularly and how we should all make a bigger effort to take care of our eyes.
