Deputy Prime Minister, Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, has pledged his support for National Eye Health Week, which takes place between 17-23 September. His comments came during a visit to Cardiff, where he met Ceri Jackson, Chair of the National Eye Health Week steering group in Wales.
Mr Clegg said: "I am delighted to support the work of National Eye Health Week in promoting the importance of eye health. Many of us would be terrified at the thought of losing our sight, but we are not always aware of the best way to look after our eyes. National Eye Health Week is a great time to commit to having regular sight tests as part of our health routines. I recently took my children for their first sight test, and I would urge all parents to do the same."
National Eye Health Week brings organisations and health professionals from across the UK together to raise awareness of the importance of good eye health and the need for regular sight tests.
Ceri Jackson said: "Fifty per cent of sight loss is avoidable, and the single most important thing that people can do to protect their sight is to go for a test every two years. Many people think that a sight test is just about checking whether your vision needs correcting with glasses or contact lenses, but a sight test is also a vital check of the health of the eyes and includes the detection of eye conditions. Many of these have no early symptoms, but when they are detected early then the right type of treatment could save your sight.
"National Eye Health Week is an opportunity for people to come together and raise awareness of the need to be proactive about our eye health in the same way as we would in relation to other health conditions. I'm delighted that the Deputy Prime Minister has pledged his support and hope that as many people as possible can join us during the week in doing their bit to stop people losing their sight unnecessarily."