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World Sight Day 2022

September 28, 2022

A person with a big smile looking straight at the camera.

Thursday 13 October is World Sight Day, an annual day of awareness to focus attention on blindness and low vision.

This year’s theme for World Sight Day is ‘Love Your Eyes’, a reminder to think about the importance of eye health and how you can protect your eyes now and into the future.

In Australia, it is estimated that more than 453,000 people have blindness or low vision, with 90 per cent of vision loss and blindness being preventable or treatable if diagnosed early according to Vision 2020.

This World Sight Day, consider how you can #LoveYourEyes and get involved:

Make an appointment to have an eye test. The Centre for Eye Health in provides advanced diagnostic and disease management services at no cost to patients in New South Wales.
If you’re not ready to make an appointment, pledge to have a sight test and encourage others to do the same.
Recognise the symptoms of eye strain; is your computer screen going blurry? Have you caught yourself squinting? Is there discomfort around your eyeballs? Do you have a headache? Be aware and make the necessary adjustments, and remember to take a break from screens!
Tune into our Facebook and Instagram for more eye health tips from Guide Dogs Practitioners!

For more ways to Love Your Eyes, you can check out the following tips from our Client Services team to help protect your eyes:

Take regular visits to the optometrist with the aim of maximising vision and early detection, even if you don’t wear glasses or have any family history of eye conditions.
Use safety glasses even for tasks around the home, for example mowing the lawn and using tools in the garage.
Never underestimate the value of a good pair of sunglasses. They can reduce the debilitating effects of glare, enhance certain colours and contrast in your environment, and reduce harmful UV rays.
In the workplace, make environmental changes where possible to ensure optimal conditions for your eyes. For example, you could sit with your back to the window to reduce glare, and try to sit away from air conditioning units which may dry out your eyes. Take lots of breaks from the screen to give your eyes a rest. Ask for reasonable accommodations in the workplace when needed to reduce eye strain and visual fatigue.
Limit screentime for children and encourage lots of outdoors time where possible.
If you have a family history of eye issues, such as glaucoma, get your eyes checked regularly to monitor for changes.
And, as always, if you notice any changes in your vision, get it checked out by your local optometrist immediately.