Get your eyes checked and save your sight, before it's too late.
That's the message behind a new early intervention eye health campaign urging more older Aussies to have a their eyes tested.
The initiative from online health provider directory EyeHealth1st aims to reach five million Australians a month in a bid to reduce the incidence of blindness or vision loss in people over 40.
EyeHealth1st.com.au is a website which lists independent optometrists from around the country. It's campaign is targeting Australians aged 40 and over who are at higher risk of eye disease.
By 2020 more than 800,000 Australians are expected to experience vision loss or blindness according to Vision 2020 Australia, the national peak body for eye health and vision care in Australia.
But 90 per cent of vision loss is preventable or treatable with early detection, say experts.
“The scary truth is that by the time eye disease symptoms start to appear, it may be too late to prevent permanent damage to your vision," said Melbourne optometrist Jeremy Richards.
"Australians aged 40 and above may not realise that they are at higher risk of developing an eye disease. A simple eye health check every two years should be a regular and essential part of every person’s healthcare routine, just like regular check-ups with a GP and dentist.”
Klaus Bartosch, managing director and co-founder of MyHealth1st, said the national campaign was tackling the two main reasons Australians don’t take better care of their eyes: a lack of education and apathy.
A simple eye health check every two years should be a regular and essential part of every person’s healthcare routine, just like regular check-ups with a GP and dentist.
- Jeremy Richards, optometrist
“This campaign is about improving the health of the eye. It’s about prevention and early detection. Most people would agree that sight is their most important sense. So we mustn’t lose sight of what’s important.”
“We know and understand the importance of oral health by the time we are teenagers. We want every Australian to think about eye health the same way – and it becomes critically important in people over 40 years of age."
EyeHealth1st.com.au is a sister site to online healthcare appointment booking service MyHealth1st. On it users can find the details of their nearest independent optometrists and eye specialist and book online.
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