Get your eye’s tested this julEYE. 75% of vision loss is preventable or treatable if detected early enough, yet every 65 minutes an Australian loses part or all their vision.
julEYE is The Eye Foundation’s eye health awareness month that takes place during July each year. julEYE has three core aims:
- To raise community awareness of eye health issues;
- To raise funding for research projects into the causes and cures of vision impairment and blindness;
- To support international development projects whose goals are aligned with those of The Foundation:
(Source: Your Health Link, 2021).
How often should you get your eyes checked?
According to Better Health (2021) dependent on age, ophthalmologists generally recommend getting your eyes tested every 2 years and should be an essential part of your healthcare routine. You may need to get your eyes tested more regularly if you have a health condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, history of a stroke, neurological conditions or if you have been diagnosed with an eye condition.
How do I protect my eyes in the workplace setting?
According to AOA (2021), the type of safety eye protection you should wear depends on the hazards in your workplace:
- If you are working in an area that has particles, flying objects or dust, you must at least wear safety glasses with side protection;
- If you are working with chemicals, you must wear goggles;
- If you are working near hazardous radiation (welding, lasers or fibre optics), you must use special-purpose safety glasses, goggles, face shields or helmets designed for the task.
In addition, employers need to take steps to make the work environment as safe as possible. This includes:
- Conducting an eye hazard assessment of the workplace;
- Removing or reducing eye hazards where possible;
- Providing appropriate safety eyewear and requiring employees to wear it;
Four things you can do to protect your eyes from injury:
- Know the eye safety dangers at your work;
- Eliminate hazards before starting work by using machine guards, work screens or other engineering controls;
- Use proper eye protection;
- Keep your safety eyewear in good condition and have it replaced if it becomes damaged;