Your eyesight is one of your most important senses with 80 percent of what we perceive coming through our sense of sight. By protecting your eyes, you will reduce the odds of blindness and vision loss in later life.
Lifestyle choices can have a huge impact on your overall health, including your vision.
Diet, smoking and excessive alcohol can all make a difference to your eyesight in the long run.
Long-term effects of consuming too much alcohol can increase your risk of eye disease, including AMD and cataracts.
A balanced diet is also key, as vitamins C and E along with lutein and omega-3 can all contribute to healthy vision.
“There are a number of short-term effects which alcohol has on your eyesight and, while not serious, they make it unsafe for you to drive in the hours after having consumed alcohol,” said Optimax Eye Surgery.
The health site added: “The most common effect is double vision, or blurry vision, brought on by heavy drinking.
This occurs as a result of weakened eye muscle coordination as alcohol is a depressant, slowing your reaction times and impairing coordination.
“Over time, alcohol consumption can actually cause permanent damage to your brain cells and neurotransmitters, further weakening the eye muscles and distorting vision.”
An eye test by an optician doesn’t just check to see whether you need glasses – it’s also an important check on the health of your eyes.
The NHS added: “An optician can detect eye diseases at an early stage, usually before you’ve even noticed any changes.
“An eye test checks your vision straight ahead, as well as your side (peripheral) vision.”