Eye health – articles and advice

With children already spending plenty of time on screens outside school, the return to classroom devices could put even more strain on their eyes. We spoke to an ophthalmologist about the growing issue of short-sightedness and what you can do to help protect your child’s vision.

We all know the importance of wearing sunscreen and protecting our skin from the sun in the summer, but did you know your eyes also need looking after as well? It's not just the sun you need to protect them from - there's a whole range of eye issues you might need to navigate in the summer, including itchy eyes.

It is recommended that you get your eyes tested every two years - even if your vision seems fine. Your test will check for your vision and eye health, and check for any emerging issues. Here we talk about what changes and issues in your vision you should look out for and when you should see a specialist.

The days are getting sunnier, and let’s be honest - while many of us reach for sunglasses to shield our eyes from the sun’s glare, we’re also drawn to them for their style. All too often, we sacrifice eye health in favour of a designer logo - hoping someone will spot the brand name on the frame. If the real thing is out of reach, it’s tempting to opt for kno...

One of Britain’s most beloved actors has spoken candidly about living with a condition that has affected her ability to go outdoors alone. Dame Judi Dench was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) 14 years ago, at the age of 76. AMD is a common eye condition that affects your central vision and gradually reduces your ability to see clearly st...

If you’re finding it harder to drive at night, there may be a reason. While external factors can affect night-time vision, this article explores other possible causes - and what you can do to support your eye health and feel more confident on the road after dark.

It’s a fact of life that, as we age, certain bodily functions naturally change - and eyesight is one of them. While many factors affect eye health and not all are within our control, simple healthy habits can help keep your vision strong for longer. Caring for your eyes as you get older can make a big difference in keeping you active, independent, and able t...

Dry eyes during winter are not uncommon, especially as the temperatures change and most of us crank up the central heating. While we can't control the weather, it is possible to prevent dry eyes or ease the often uncomfortable, irritating symptoms that accompany them.

Dry eyes happen for various reasons. While not usually serious, they can be uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to treat dry eyes and find relief from symptoms.

The same things that can cause eye strain and discomfort often also result in neck and back pain. What are these activities, and when can eye discomfort be a symptom of neck and back muscle tension - and the other way around?

Astigmatism is a common condition which is usually easily corrected with glasses, contacts lenses or, sometimes, surgery. Here we look at what it means if you have the condition, and what you can do about it.

If you've ever experienced irritated eyes, blurred vision, or headaches while watching TV, you may be one of the many people who encounter eye strain. This common but temporary eye complaint can be soothed or avoided if you adopt some healthy TV viewing habits.

Eye strain has become increasingly common following advances in technology. 95% of households now own at least one mobile phone - yet just a generation (25 years) ago, more than 5 in 6 households didn't have a single mobile between them. As for computers, household ownership has increased from 27% in 1995 to almost 90% today. We're spending more time staring...

Many of us spend a disproportionate amount of our time in the office, and this can have a detrimental impact on the health of our eyes. We ask an optometrist for advice on how best to protect our vision in the work environment.

The Association of Optometrists (AOP) has issued a warning that millions of smokers are risking their eyesight by continuing to smoke.

Eye floaters are usually thought of as a nuisance rather than a chronic condition. But for some people they can significantly affect quality of life. So how do you learn to live with them - and what are the treatment options?

They're your windows to the world, and we rely on them for almost everything we do. Eye problems become more common with age, but there are lots of steps you can take to cut your chance of sight-threatening problems. And fortunately, there have never been more effective treatments to preserve sight.

It was the poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox who wrote: 'Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone.' This aphorism is only partly true. Although laughing is more infectious than crying, crying is almost as widespread an activity. Extend the definition to include the production of tears for any reason, and it becomes a universal phenomenon.

When you look at an object you see it because light reflects off the object and enters your eye. Your eye focuses this light into an image on the layer of the eye called the retina.

Everyone knows that carrots make you see in the dark but what about the role of peppers, kale, almonds, kiwi fruits and seafood in making our eyes healthier? Scientists have discovered that several nutrients help to guard our eyesight, keeping one of our vital senses in good working order as we age.