Eye test and optical health tips

Find out how good your eyesight is with our online test, get optical health tips plus we reveal the dangers of glaucoma and the emotional effects of sight loss

Top tips on keeping your eyes healthy from RNIB

Your eyes might look great and your eyesight might be fine, but that doesn't necessarily mean your eyes are healthy.

Some sight-threatening conditions, such as glaucoma, have no symptoms and could cause you to lose up to 40 per cent of your sight before you notice a difference.

1. Stop smoking - Did you know smoking can double the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, the UK's leading cause of sight loss? In fact, the link is as strong as the link between smoking and lung cancer. Speak to your GP about stopping smoking.

2. Keep your eyes covered in the sun - UVA and UVB rays in sunlight can harm your eyes and may increase the risk of cataracts. Wearing sunglasses, glasses or contact lenses with built in UV filter will protect your eyes. Only buy sunglasses that have a CE mark or carry British Standard BSEN 1836:1997.

3. Eat healthily and watch your weight - Eating a diet low in saturated fats but rich in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli may help protect your eyes. Oranges, kiwis, nuts, seeds and oily fish may also help prevent and slow down some eye conditions. Taking supplements is not a substitute for a healthy diet. It is important to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity can increase the risk of developing diabetes, which in turn could lead to sight loss.

4. Safety first - DIY causes thousands of eye related injuries each year. Always wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris and fine particles. Sport (especially racquet-based sports) also causes lots of eye related injuries each year. Investing in a good pair of protective sports goggles will help prevent serious damage to your eyes.

Raising awareness of glaucoma

It's estimated that there are currently up to 500,000 people in England and Wales who are at risk of losing their sight due to undiagnosed glaucoma despite the condition being the leading cause of preventable blindness in the UK.

Glaucoma is the name for a group of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve. In most cases, this damage is caused by increased pressure inside the eye. Whereas most people are aware of the importance of checking their blood pressure, awareness around the importance of eye pressure is low.

Anyone can develop glaucoma and so everyone should have regular eye examinations to test for it. However, some people are at a higher risk of developing glaucoma than others. You are considered to be at higher risk if you are short sighted; aged over 40; of African-Caribbean origin, if you have diabetes or if you have a family member with glaucoma. If you fall into one of these groups, you should have more frequent examinations and you may even be eligible for free eye tests.

The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) advises that everyone should be encouraged to have their eyes tested at least once every 2 years or more often if advised to by a professional.

Print out your own eye test

If you want a rough idea of how good your eyesight is, you can test yourself with our very own eye test above. Print it out and follow these instructions.

• Print out the sheet and attach it to a wall
• Stand 10 feet from it (about three large strides)
• Test one eye at a time by holding a hand over each eye in turn
• Read each letter from the top down to the bottom, following the lines
• Someone with 20/20 vision should be able to read each of the smallest letters on the test

Please note - this eye test is not intended to replace a professional eye exam and if you have any worries about your eyesight you should contact your optician immediately.