World Sight Day: 14 October 2021

One of the posters available to support the campaign

14 October 2021 marks World Sight Day, which this year focuses around the theme of #LoveYourEyes.

“Nearly everyone on the planet will experience an eye health issue in their lifetime,” according to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), which leads on World Sight Day campaigns.

So, the annual campaign provides a useful reminder to encourage everyone to think about the importance of their eye health.

The IAPB Good Eye Health Guide presents a four-step approach: Prevent, Protect, Preserve and Prioritise.

Guidance includes living a healthy lifestyle, including eating a balanced diet and regular exercise, as a first step towards prevention.

The guide also encourages people to protect their eyes from UV light with high quality sunglasses, and to manage screen time with the 20-20-20 rule: for every 20 minutes spent using a screen, try to look away at something that is 20 feet (about six metres) away for 20 seconds.

Practices that wish to get involved wi the World Sight Day campaign can find a host of resources on the IAPB website, including social media assets, a ‘make your own poster kit’ and logos.

Use the hashtag #LoveYourEyes – on Monday 14 October and be part of the campaign.