National Eye Health Week

Where: events taking place across Wales to raise awareness of eye health and the importance of regular eye checks.

Why: Regular sight tests provide the basis for maintaining good eye health, as some serious eye conditions do not have any visible early warning symptoms. Having a sight test with an optometrist should be part of everyone’s health care routine.

There are over 98,000 people in Wales living with sight loss and this has a huge impact on individuals and society.

Every day 100 people in the UK start to lose their sight. Yet over 50 per cent of sight loss can be avoided by people wearing correctly prescribed glasses or having the right treatment at the right time.

Many people are entitled to a free NHS sight test and the Welsh Government also provide an additional free eye health examination scheme to help people who may be at risk of eye disease or who have sudden or acute eye problems.

Now in its sixth year, National Eye Health Week is from 21 – 27 September 2015, and aims to raise awareness of eye health and the importance of regular eye checks.

In Wales, The week is led by the Wales National Eye Health Week Advisory Group which has a growing membership of over thirty charities, groups, health care professionals and public sector organisations.

Example events taking place during the week :

Date	Host organisation	Event
Tuesday 22, 10m – 2pm	RNIB Cymru	‘Switch onto technology’ event at Llanelli Library, Vaughan St, Llanelli, SA15 3AS – with RNIB Cymru’s ‘Online Today’ team.
Wednesday 23	Sight Cymru	ISight Conference at Miners Institute, Llanhiledd, Abertillery
Thursday 24 September 1.30pm – 3.30pm	RNIB Cymru	Digital skills workshops in Swansea for people with macular degeneration at Caswell Room, School of Medicine, Singleton Hospital.
Friday 25, 1-3pm	International Glaucoma Association working with Porth Cluster Communities First	Fun and informative eye health event to be hosted at Porth Plaza in Porth.
Throughout the week	Libraries	“Winnie the Witch” storytelling time (a simple tale ideal for discussing sight loss) for children will take place in various libraries across Wales