How to love your eyes

Scott’s guide to good eye health

Monitor any changes in your vision.

If you have any concerns, contact your optician or GP and ask for advice and an appointment if necessary. There are specialised opticians which operate a Minor Eye Conditions (MEC) scheme who act as a triage service for the hospital. Details can be found at: http://www.pekm.co.uk/subcontent.asp?id=174&subid=36

Alternatively, if very serious (a sudden loss of vision as an example) contact Kent & Canterbury Hospital on 01227 766877 and ask to be connected to the Emergency Eye Casualty or if calling at the weekend, the On-call Ophthalmologist.

Maintain your eyedrop regime.

For conditions such as Glaucoma, the correct instillation of eyedrops is crucial. If your supply is running low, speak to your GP in the first instance. If you’re having problems putting the drops in, your pharmacist may be able to show you a better method when you collect your next prescription. Never stop taking the drops unless instructed to do so.

Attend your appointment.

Eye clinics are resuming a normal service (although this is changing regularly!), albeit with reduced numbers of patients and staff are taking all required measures to ensure the safety of the patients as well as themselves. You may receive a video or telephone call from your consultant if it’s felt that a face-to-face appointment isn’t necessary. I have heard some excellent comments on this new approach and it may well be the wave of the future in helping reduce waiting times. And if you are diabetic, make sure that you have your annual eye scan at your local static or mobile clinic. The Diabetic Screeners can see tiny changes at the back of the eye which may go otherwise go unnoticed and refer you to the hospital for further investigation. Finally, if your routine eye test is due, make an appointment. An eye examination is not just about new glasses but also checking the health of the eye. The eyes have been described as the window to the soul but in reality, they’re a window to the body’s nervous system and a great way to see what else is going on in the body – not just the eyes. Conditions such as raised blood pressure or cholesterol can be detected as well as diabetes.

Nutrition.

A healthy diet is always considered a good thing, but ensuring that you have a good portion of green leafy vegetables such as Kale and Spinach (high in Lutein and Zeaxanthin which the Macular loves), oily fish (Omega-3) and bright coloured fruit and vegetables which are rich in carotenoids. Check with your GP before making any major dietary changes to ensure there’s no conflict with existing health conditions or medication.

Lifestyle.

Keep the blood pumping and avoid any narrowing of the arteries or blockages which could lead to sight problems from high blood pressure or diabetes. Don’t over-do it though and always consult with your GP before beginning any new exercise regime.
Remember the song “Smoke gets in your eyes”, well it really does! Smokers are more likely to develop Age-related Macular Degeneration and Cataracts than non-smokers. If you would like help with stopping smoking, contact your GP or enquire at the hospital about their smoking cessation programs. In my view, giving up smoking is the number one lifestyle choice to improve your general health as well as that of your eyes.

Everything in moderation.

A little tipple in the evening may be fine but excessive alcohol consumption can lead to toxic damage to the retina.

I hope to return to Ashford and the other East Kent Hospitals in time and look forward to meeting you again face-to-face, with the appropriate face covering and observing social distancing of course! In the meantime, please feel free to contact me on 07890 526773 or scott.jones@kab.org.uk if you have any eye or eye clinic related question.