Keep an eye on your eye health.
Nowadays, an eyesight test does so much more than just check your vision and eye health. A sight test now can also spot the early signs of illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Early detection of these diseases, helps with their management.
What are your entitlements?
If you live in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and are aged over 60 you are entitled to a free eye check every year. You may also be entitled to a free test in certain circumstances such as a family history of Glaucoma. In certain cases, age, income or health, you will receive a voucher towards the cost of your glasses or contact lenses.
For Scotish readers, if you are aged over 60 you are entitled to a free eye test every two years. If you have any changes to your eye health then you may find you are entitled to a check annually as recommended by your optician.
Age-related eye health conditions include age-related macular degeneration. This is the largest cause of adult sight loss in the UK and by 2020 it is predicted that over 700,000 people will have developed it. I have personally seen how debilitating this condition is. Image, taking a tin out of the cupboard, wanting baked beans, to find you are heating custard to go on your toast.
I have personally seen how debilitating this condition is. Image, taking a tin out of the cupboard, wanting baked beans, to find you are heating custard to go on your toast! It steals away someone’s independence.
The risk of developing the condition increases with age but can be lessened with good diet full of leafy greens and by not smoking or drinking too much alcohol.
