Vision 2020 Australia and SunSmart are calling on Victorians to slide on their sunglasses and join in the global efforts to stop avoidable blindness, as October 9 marks World Sight Day.
World Sight Day is an international event that raises awareness about avoidable blindness and vision loss – in Australia, 75 per cent of blindness and vision loss is avoidable or treatable.
It’s well-known that ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a major cause of skin cancer, but UV is also estimated to cause 20 per cent of cataracts1, which is one of the five main conditions responsible for vision impairment in Australia.
Vision 2020 Australia CEO Jennifer Gersbeck said wearing the right eye protection could help Victorians prevent eye damage.
“Three-quarters of Victorians report regularly wearing sunglasses while outside2, but that may not guarantee their eyes are protected,” Ms Gersbeck said.
“It’s important to choose a close-fitting, wrap-around style and remember that the colour or darkness of the lens doesn’t indicate the level of UV protection,” Ms Gersbeck said.
“Check the label or swing tag for categories 2, 3 or 4, as these sunglasses will absorb more than 95 per cent of UV.”
SunSmart Manager Sue Heward said wearing a broad-brimmed hat during the daily sun protection times can also help to reduce UV to the eyes by 50 per cent.3
“The eyes are extremely sensitive, so it is especially critical to protect them from UV damage,” Ms Heward said.
“During sun protection times, combine sunglasses use with slipping on sun-protective clothing, slopping on SPF30 or higher broad-spectrum sunscreen, slapping on a broad-brimmed hat and seeking shade.
Many eye conditions caused by exposure to UV radiation over long periods, such as age-related macular degeneration and cataracts, have no symptoms in the early stages. Do not wait until you notice changes in your vision, get your eyes tested.
Source: Vision 2020 Australia
Ryan Fritz
Ryan Fritz started The Advocate in 2014 to provide not-for-profits and charities another media platform to tell their worthwhile hard news stories and opinion pieces effortlessly. In 2020, Ryan formed a team of volunteer journalists to help spread even more high-quality stories from the third sector. He also has over 10 years experience as a media and communications professional for not-for-profits and charities and currently works at Redkite, a childhood cancer charity.
