It’s National Eye Health Week, a subject close to our hearts due to the conversations we have with our customers about the difference good eye health makes to their lives.
The awareness week, which runs from September 23 to 29, aims to highlight the importance of getting your sight checked regularly. According to Vision Matters, two million people in the UK live with sight loss severe enough to significantly impact on their daily lives – yet half of this sight loss is avoidable.
Regular eye checks can pick up early signs of conditions like glaucoma, which causes damage to the optic nerve. Glaucoma can be treated if picked up in the early stages, but it’s not possible to reverse damage that’s already happened before a diagnosis. Known as the ‘silent thief of sight’ as many people with the condition don’t experience symptoms, it can be picked up at a routine eye appointment before your sight worsens.
In addition, did you know that other health conditions, including diabetes or high blood pressure, can be detected during an eye check? It’s advisable to have a sight test at least every two years, but your optician may recommend more frequent appointments if you have a family history of eye conditions or if you’re over 40.
Helping our customers with their eye health is one of the core benefits of a Plutus Health plan. We give you cash back every time you see your optician – whether it’s for a routine eye test or to help with the cost of a new pair of glasses or contact lenses! You can find out more about this and other benefits in our article What is a health cash plan?
In the meantime, there are lots of ways in which you can boost your eye health, including these tips from Vision Matters:
- Not smoking and not drinking heavily
- Always wearing sunglasses in bright sunlight (make sure they have the CE mark)
- Eating foods that are rich in antioxidants, which can help to prevent retinal damage. Try kale, spinach, broccoli, oily fish and eggs, as well as brightly coloured fruit and vegetables, including corn, carrots, orange peppers and oranges
- Exercising, which may reduce damage to your arteries and prevent conditions that can harm your sight
Our health plans cost less than you might think, starting at just over £2 per week and depending on the level of cover you choose. You won’t need a medical examination; just fill in our simplehealth plan application form and leave the rest to us!
And if you run a business, we also providecorporate health cash plans. Healthcare benefits are an excellent way of retaining great staff and reducing employee sickness levels and, because we tailor our plans, we can expertly meet the specific needs of your business. Just call us on 01633 266152 to find out more!
