World Sight Day
World Sight Day is an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October, to focus global attention on vision impairment, including blindness. This year, World Sight Day will take place on October 14, 2021.
Globally, at least 1 billion people have near or distance vision impairment that could be prevented or has yet to be addressed. Vision impairment affects people of all ages, with the majority being over the age of 50. Vision impairment and blindness can have major and long- lasting effects on all aspects of life, including daily personal activities, interacting with the community, school and work opportunities and the ability to access public services.
There are steps you can take to preserve your sight and avoid preventable blindness. Some of these steps include:
- Regular eye exams – Early detection is a great way to prevent future vision loss
- Learn about your family’s vision history – Some preventable vision issues are genetic
- Quit smoking and drink less alcohol – These can lead to an increased chance of getting cataracts and other vision issues
- Wear eye protection – Preventing eye injury is a sizable step in preventing vision loss
The goal of World Sight Day is to encourage everyone to pledge to get a yearly eye exam. That means both getting an eye exam yourself and helping others get theirs. Give our office a call to see one of our professional eye care providers.