Eyes at all ages
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Posted: November 29 2011
Some serious eye conditions do not have any visible early warning symptoms so regular eye checks can maintain eye health at every age.
Poor eyesight has a significant effect on a child’s behaviour and ability to learn yet it can often go undiagnosed as children may be unaware of how they should be seeing things or unable to explain the problems they experience.
Children can suffer from a range of eye problems from a very young age and it is important to detect and treat these as soon as possible. Babies can see from birth and vision continues to develop until around seven or eight years of age.
While eye injuries can happen at any time men in their 20s can suffer from sports-related injuries. Sports with a very high risk of eye injury involve body contact and do not use eye protectors – these include boxing, wrestling and contact martial arts. Other high risk sports include body contact such as rugby or games with balls, bats and racquets such as cricket, tennis and squash.
Recognising signs and symptoms and also knowing what to do could be crucial to preserving sight. If for any reason you are worried or unsure about a problem or injury to your eye please seek specialist advice. If you experience sudden pain, loss of sight, or lots of flashing lights, please see your doctor or local accident and emergency department as soon as possible.
Women in their 20s and 30s should be aware that their vision can change during pregnancy. Hormone changes and fluid retention during pregnancy mean that women should book an eye test after every pregnancy. While for most women, eyesight will return to normal 1 in 10 can have vision problems as a result of pregnancy.
If you have a family history of glaucoma you should book a regular eye test every two years to assess the condition of your vision as you get older.
Always book an eye test with a qualified optometrist if you have the following symptoms:
- You feel your eyesight has deteriorated
- Eyes feel dry and gritty
- It is hard to focus
- You have vision problems
- You are having headaches
- You have a family history of glaucoma or cataracts