3 resolutions you should be making this year

Jan 17, 2018 in Eye Care

Family holding sparklers

It’s that time of year again – the arrival of a new year means new resolutions. Could it be a new job? A new fitness regime? Quitting smoking? Or will 2018 be the year you finally get to take that dream holiday?

If you only make one new year’s resolution for 2018, we think it should benefit your eyes and ears. After all, they really are worth looking after.

Here are three things you can do this year to make sure your body’s own built-in audio-visual equipment stays in tip-top condition:

1. Book an Eyesight Test

You’ve only got one pair of eyes, but it’s all too easy to take them for granted. Think of all the toil and trouble you put them through in 2017 – long hours squinting at a computer screen and sunny days exposing your delicate eyes to harmful UV rays, not to mention an old pair of glasses that aren’t quite the right prescription. All in all, 2017 has been a tough year for your eyes.

Some estimates suggest as many as 6 million people in the UK have never had an eye test. But they really should: an eye examination is essential for tracking the long-term health of your eyes. Given that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the UK, it’s worth booking an eye test at least once every two years.

So go on – book an eye test and put your mind at rest.

2. Think about your hearing

In the UK, around 1 in 6 people suffer from hearing loss. Despite this, it can be difficult to detect: it’s a condition that can creep up on you over many years. As a result, sufferers often live with hearing loss for a whole decade before diagnosis.

Tell-tale signs include struggling to hear normal conversation and needing to turn up the TV volume beyond its usual level. The brain has ingenious ways of compensating for loss in hearing sensitivity, but as hearing loss has been linked to dementia, it’s sensible to get a hearing test sooner rather than later.

If you do need a hearing aid, don’t despair – modern digital hearing aids, like the Oticon Opn, are both discrete and powerful, offering advanced features and even apps for your mobile phone.

The moral of the story is this: if you have the feeling that your hearing has degraded over time, make sure you book a hearing test this year.

3. New year. New look. Why not try contact lenses?

Contact lenses have come a long way in recent years. Today’s contacts have much improved breathability, letting your eyes get the oxygen they need. They’re also thin and comfortable to wear. You can even get multifocal contact lenses.

Contact lenses help you look cool, but glasses, of course, also help you add style points. And with the spring and summer not too far away, why not invest in a pair of UV-rated sunglasses? They look super-chic, but they can also help reduce glare while driving – and even give you the edge when you’re out enjoying your favourite sport. Visit your local Leightons branch page to see what brands are available, or pop in and try them for yourself. Talking about a resolution

Whether it’s an eye test, a hearing test, contacts, glasses or a new pair of sunglasses, Leightons has you covered for all your new year’s resolutions.

Call us today on 0800 40 20 20 or book online now.