On 14th June the rain clouds finally cleared and we could talk about the importance of wearing sunglasses as part of NATIONAL EYE HEALTH WEEK. We have always been really keen to encourage children to wear sun cream, sun hats and of course sunglasses. Staff, Governors and pupils listened to the importance of keeping our eyes healthy.

Most parents realise the need for children to have regular visits to the dentist but fewer realise the importance of visits to the opticians. It is recommended that children take their first eye examination by the age of 3 and once a year thereafter. (The official government recommendation is once every 2 years.)

Children rarely complain of blurred vision—they do not realise that people can see clearer, but poor vision can cause a child to struggle at school and lose interest in their work. Research suggests that about 10% of children have undetected problems with their vision. It is really important that conditions such as a lazy eye or squint are picked up and treated as early as possible.

Children spend more time outside, so their eyes receive on average three times more annual UV exposure than adults. But 63% of parents say their children only wear sunglasses on holiday. This is why we gave out free sunglasses to every child to make sure that they keep their eyes safe. We asked every parent to write their child's name on the glasses and case and make sure that their children use them.

Obviously it is important that we all take care of our eyesight so we are happy to pass on our:-

TOP FIVE TIPS FOR EYE HEALTH

1. PROTECT EYES FROM THE SUN 
Sunlight can burn the front of the eye like it burns the skin, as well as the inside of the eye too. This can cause cataracts and cancers. Under no circumstances should you ever look directly at the sun. Your sunglasses should have the CE mark on them ensuring that they are giving you the right level of ultraviolet protection.

2. EAT A HEALTHY BALANCED DIET 
Fruit & veg are rich in antioxidants, generally the more colourful they are, the richer they are in these important chemicals. Foods particularly beneficial for the eyes include carrots, peppers, sweet potato, tomatoes, spinach, kale, broccoli and blueberries.

3. DO NOT SMOKE

Smokers are much more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration and 3 times as many cataracts compared to non-smokers.

4. REGULAR EXERCISE

While it might seem odd that exercise can help the eyes, it can be important. Research shows that exercise may reduce the risk of sight loss which can occur from high blood pressure, diabetes and narrowing or hardening of the arteries.

5. SAFETY FIRST

Thousands of people suffer eye injuries ever year doing DIY or doing sports. Make sure you wear safety goggles or sports goggles

We want to say a huge thank you to Mr & Mrs McNabb at the OPTIC SHOP CARDIFF in St Mary street who provided the sun glasses for the children. Do not forget that NHS sight tests are free to children up to the age of 19 in full time education and help towards the cost of glasses is available. Children do not need to be able to read to have a sight test, as optometrists can use pictures instead of letters

We love recycling and we love helping people, so do not forget that when you have finished with your prescription glasses they can be recycled at most opticians. 670 million people - 10% of the world's population - are disabled or disadvantaged because they don't have glasses. The LIONS CLUB INTERNATIONAL are one such charity. Follow the link and see what will happen to your glasses or visit VISON AID OVERSEAS.

Every year we have an eye test for new pupils or those that feel that they have a problem. These are advertised on the parents noticeboards and newsletters. The health of our pupils is very important, we have had a fruit tuck shop and a healthy tuck policy for almost 10 years.