Healthy Eyes campaign begins in Ireland

Irish optical practices have this week embarked on the country’s annual Healthy Eyes campaign, organised by the Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI) and the Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians (FODO) Ireland.

The campaign, from January 15 to 21, would encourage those who have not had their eyes checked in the past two years to visit their local practice.

The AOI and FODO Ireland also encouraged people to post a photograph of themselves on social media using the hashtag #EyePledge and holding a Healthy Eyes pledge card.

It was estimated that in 2010, 224,832 people in Ireland were suffering from visual impairment and this was expected rise to 271,996 by 2020 – a 21% increase. The economic cost of blindness and visual impairment in the Republic of Ireland was estimated at €2.1bn in 2010 and expected to rise to €2.7bn by 2020.