World Sight Day, Thursday 10 October 2019, is the perfect time for Australian eye health professionals to remind consumers about the importance of looking after their eye health. With more than 453,000 Australians blind or vision impaired, World Sight Day aims to raise awareness of blindness and vision impairment on a global scale.
With this year’s theme being ‘Vision First’, Vision 2020 Australia is doing its best to get the message out there.
As we approach the year 2020, it’s never been a more appropriate time for people to put vision first to keep their eyesight 20/20
“As we approach the year 2020, it’s never been a more appropriate time for people to put vision first to keep their eyesight 20/20,” said Vision 2020 Australia CEO, Judith Abbott.
“Approximately 90% of vision loss and blindness is preventable or treatable if identified early, so having regular eye tests is an important part of maintaining good eye health and spotting potential concerns before it’s too late.”
The risk of developing an eye condition increases as people enter their forties, and people who smoke, have diabetes, a family history of eye disease, or are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent are also at increased risk of eye disease.
Take Action
Eye health professionals can encourage patients and consumers to have their eyes tested with social media and direct email messaging, window displays and by contacting their local media to spread the word.