14 October 2021

World Sight Day - Love Your Eyes

The Association of Eye Care Providers of Ireland and the Irish College of Ophthalmologists are marking World Sight Day (WSD 2021) by calling on everyone to pledge to #LoveYourEyes and have an eye examination.

David Hewlett, Director at The Association of Eye Care Providers of Ireland and President of the European Coalition for Vision said: "We are fortunate to live in a time where we can correct most vision problems, prevent many forms of sight loss, and support people with permanent vision loss to live independently. We are also fortunate that State supports people who need help to access regular eye care. That is why on World Sight Day we are encouraging everyone to make sure they see their optometrist for regular eye examinations".

The Irish College of Ophthalmologists also called on people to have regular eye examinations as part of the Everyone Counts global challenge for WSD 2021, set by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.

An estimated 270,000 Irish people live with vision loss or blindness. And within the next five years, 50,000 more are expected to have impaired vision, while another 5,000 will lose their sight.

The risk of sight loss increases with age and cataract surgery is already the most performed surgery in Ireland. In addition, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is also the most common cause of vision loss here.

Speaking to Claire Byrne on RTE Radio 1 on 12 October, Dr Máiríde McGuire, Consultant Medical Ophthalmologist from the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, said: "Diet plays an important factor in keeping your eyes healthy." She suggested leafy green vegetables, such as kale, to reduce the risk of macular degeneration and antioxidants in foods like carrots and red peppers to reduce the risk of developing cataracts or AMD. Omega 3 fatty acids in fish are also "good for people who suffer from dry eyes".

Learn more about common eye problems and how to book an eye examination.