How to care for your eyesight

Most sight loss in the UK is avoidable, and the habits that protect your eyes are simpler than you might think. Here's what actually makes a difference, according to the evidence.

Ask people which sense they'd least like to lose and the answer is nearly always the same: their sight. Yet eyesight is something most of us take completely for granted, right up until the moment it changes. The good news is that a large share of sight loss is preventable, and looking after your eyes doesn't require anything drastic. It comes down to a handful of everyday habits, most of which are good for the rest of your body too.

We've spent decades making glasses for people across the UK, and one thing we hear again and again is "I wish I'd looked after my eyes sooner." So here's our honest, no-nonsense guide to caring for your eyesight, at any age.

This is the one habit that outweighs all the others. Conditions such as glaucoma can quietly damage your sight for years before you notice a single symptom. By the time you do, lost vision usually can't be recovered.

An eye examination catches these problems early, while they can still be treated. It can pick up wider health issues such as diabetes and high blood pressure at the same time.

Everyone should have their eyes examined at least once every two years. Children, over-60s, and anyone with diabetes or a family history of glaucoma may be advised to go more often.

Our guide on how often you should have an eye test breaks down exactly what applies to you, and if cost is a concern, you may be entitled to help through the NHS optical voucher scheme.

Your retina is one of the most metabolically hungry tissues in your body, and it responds to what you feed it. Two nutrients in particular, lutein and zeaxanthin, concentrate in the macula, the part of the retina responsible for your sharp central vision. These can be found in dark leafy greens like spinach, kale and broccoli.

Alongside your greens, aim for:

• Oily fish, salmon, mackerel and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which support the retina and help keep eyes comfortable.
• Eggs, another useful source of lutein, plus zinc, which helps transport vitamin A to the retina.
• Citrus fruit and berries, packed with vitamin C, an antioxidant that supports the blood vessels in your eyes.
• Nuts and seeds, a handful of almonds or sunflower seeds delivers vitamin E.
• Orange vegetables, carrots, peppers and sweet potatoes provide beta-carotene, which your body converts into vitamin A.

No single food will transform your vision but a consistently varied, colourful diet genuinely does lower your long-term risk of eye disease.

Sunlight ages your eyes in the same way it ages your skin. Over the years, UVA and UVB exposure raises your risk of cataracts and contributes to age-related macular degeneration.

The fix is simple, wear sunglasses with proper UV filtration whenever you're out in bright conditions. Look for a CE or UKCA mark, the British Standard BS EN ISO 12312-1, or a UV400 label. If you wear glasses full time, prescription sunglasses or photochromic lenses that darken automatically in sunlight mean you're never caught without protection.

One rule with no exceptions, never look directly at the sun. Doing so can permanently scar the retina in seconds.

Most people know what smoking does to the lungs and heart. Far fewer realise what it does to the eyes. After ageing itself, smoking is the biggest risk factor for age-related macular degeneration, one of the UK's leading causes of sight loss. It significantly raises your risk of cataracts too. The chemicals in tobacco smoke damage the delicate blood vessels that feed the retina, starving it of oxygen and nutrients.

The encouraging part is that the risk falls once you stop, whatever your age. If you needed one more reason to quit, keeping your sight is a strong one. Free NHS stop-smoking support substantially improves your chances of success.

Your eyes are wired into the rest of your body. The two biggest systemic threats to sight, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, both damage the fine blood vessels of the retina. Regular aerobic exercise, whether that's brisk walking, swimming or cycling, supports healthy circulation to the optic nerve, helps regulate eye pressure. Exercise also keeps your weight in a range that lowers your diabetes risk in the first place.

If you already live with diabetes or high blood pressure, attend your routine retinal screening appointments and keep your optometrist informed. Well-managed conditions are far less likely to affect your vision. You can read more about the connection in our guide to blood pressure and your eyes.

Screens don't cause permanent damage to your eyes, but hours of close focus does tire them. When we concentrate on a display we blink up to half as often, which is why eyes feel dry and gritty by late afternoon. The simplest remedy is the 20-20-20 habit. Every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds, and take a proper break away from the screen every hour or so.

Good lighting, a screen positioned just below eye level, and consciously blinking all help too. For a deeper look at working comfortably with technology, see our guide to avoiding digital eye strain, or explore whether blue light lenses might suit your setup.

Your eyes do essential maintenance overnight. Clearing away irritants, replenishing the tear film and repairing the surface of the cornea. Consistently short nights leave eyes dry, bloodshot and prone to twitching, so aim for seven to nine hours. Staying hydrated through the day matters for the same reason, your tear film is mostly water, and dehydration is a common, easily fixed cause of dry, scratchy eyes.

Thousands of eye injuries every year in the UK happen at home. Drilling, sanding, hammering, mowing the lawn, using garden strimmers or handling cleaning chemicals. Almost all of them are preventable with a pair of safety glasses or goggles that takes seconds to put on.

The same goes for racquet sports and any workplace where dust, debris or splashes are a risk.

Squinting through an out of date prescription won't damage your eyes, but it will give you headaches, tired eyes and, more seriously, slower reactions at the wheel.

UK law requires you to meet the driving eyesight standard every time you drive, so if street signs are getting harder to read, don't put it off. If you've noticed changes, our guide to the signs you may need glasses is a good place to start, and once you have a current prescription, an accurate pair of glasses doesn't need to cost high-street prices.

If you wear contact lenses, hygiene is part of eye care too. Wash your hands before handling them, never rinse lenses or cases in tap water and never sleep or swim in lenses unless they're specifically designed for it.

Some eye conditions run in families. Glaucoma is the clearest example. Having a parent or sibling with the condition raises your own risk considerably, which is why you're entitled to a free NHS sight test from age 40 if your parent, sibling or child has been diagnosed with glaucoma.

Tell your optometrist about any family history of glaucoma, macular degeneration or diabetes so they can tailor your checks. Our guide to glaucoma and how to prevent it explains what to look out for.

Finally, treat sudden changes as urgent. A shower of new floaters, flashing lights, a shadow or curtain across your vision, sudden blurring or eye pain all warrant a same-day call to an optometrist or NHS 111. With eyes, acting fast is often the difference between a full recovery and lasting damage.

This article is for general information and isn't a substitute for professional advice. If you have concerns about your eyes or vision, speak to a registered optometrist or your GP.

RNIB, looking after your eyes

The College of Optometrists, look After Your Eyes

NHS England, eye health and NHS sight tests

Moorfields Eye Hospital, steps to general eye health