National Eye Health week
National Eye Health Week takes place from Monday 21 to Sunday 27 September 2026.
It’s a chance for all of us to think about our eye health, learn more about looking after our sight and raise awareness of the importance of regular eye tests.
During these seven days, we have the opportunity to advocate the importance of looking after your eyesight and to highlight all the reasons why #VisionMatters.
At Sight Research UK, we’re also shining a light on the incredible research helping us understand, prevent and treat the conditions that can cause sight loss.
Signs and symptoms to look out for
Changes to your sight can happen for lots of different reasons. Some may be minor, while others could be a sign of an eye condition that needs treatment.
It’s important to get any changes checked by an eye care professional, particularly if you experience:
- Blurry or hazy vision
- Difficulty seeing in low light or at night
- Distorted or wavy vision
- Double vision
- Loss of peripheral (side) vision
- Difficulty recognising faces or reading signs
- New or sudden flashes and floaters
- Eye pain or pressure
- Frequent changes to your glasses prescription
- Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
If you experience a sudden change or loss of vision, seek urgent medical help.
Simple ways to look after your eyes
There are things we can all do to help look after our eyes and protect our vision.
Have regular eye tests
Eye tests aren’t just about checking whether you need glasses. They can also help identify signs of some eye conditions before you notice changes to your sight.
For most people, having an eye test every two years is recommended, unless your optometrist advises you otherwise.
Eat well
A healthy, balanced diet provides your body – including your eyes – with important vitamins and nutrients.
From leafy green vegetables to oily fish, there are plenty of foods that can form part of an eye-friendly diet.
Read our A–Z guide to nutrition and eye health.
Give your eyes a break
Many of us spend a significant amount of time looking at phones, laptops and other screens.
Regular screen breaks can help reduce digital eye strain. Try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something around 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
Don’t smoke
Smoking is associated with an increased risk of developing a number of serious eye conditions.
If you smoke, giving up is one of the positive changes you can make for both your eye health and your overall health.
Protect your eyes
Remember to protect your eyes from the sun by choosing sunglasses with good UV protection. You should also use appropriate eye protection when doing activities or jobs where there is a risk of eye injury.
Understanding eye conditions
Millions of people across the UK are living with sight loss, and eye conditions can affect people at every stage of life.
Understanding more about different eye conditions – including their symptoms, causes and treatments – can help us all become better informed about our eye health.
At Sight Research UK, you can find information about conditions including glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and many more.
Research brings hope
While looking after our eyes is important, not all sight loss can be prevented through lifestyle changes.
That’s why research is so vital.
For 40 years, Sight Research UK has funded pioneering research into the causes, prevention and treatment of sight loss.
Researchers across the UK are working to understand eye disease, develop new ways of diagnosing conditions and discover treatments that could protect or restore people’s sight.
Every discovery brings us closer to a future where fewer people have to experience sight loss.
Living with sight loss
A diagnosis of sight loss can have an enormous impact on someone’s life, as well as on their family and those around them.
There is support available. Organisations including RNIB and the Macular Society provide information, practical guidance and services for people affected by sight loss.
We’re also incredibly grateful to the people who have shared their own experiences with Sight Research UK.
Help us create a future everyone can see
Research has the power to change what a diagnosis of sight loss means.
With your support, we can continue funding scientists across the UK who are working to better understand eye disease and develop the treatments of the future.
