Screenbreaks are vital to maintain your eye health

Scotland is set for its biggest weekend in the sporting calendar this year, with major football and rugby finals being played back-to-back in Glasgow this Saturday.

More than 100,000 spectators will watch the Scottish Cup final between Heart of Midlothian and Celtic at Hampden Park, then the PRO14 final – the first time Scotland has played host to the Championship decider since 2016 – will featuring home side Glasgow Warriors versus defending champions Leinster at Celtic Park.

Now leading opticians Black & Lizars has called on fans watching the action to be on the ball over their eye health.

As well the live crowds, the finals will also be beamed to millions of fans on TV – especially in Scotland.

According to research Scots are the most avid TV viewers in the UK consuming three hours 46 minutes on average daily. Over four fifths of Scots – 83% – watch TV as it is transmitted live.

Graham Freeman, clinical services manager, Black & Lizars, said: ‘Fans who don’t want to miss any of the action during this weekend’s rugby and football finals should ensure their eyes are up to the job.

‘Adults should have their eyes tested at least every two years and despite eye examinations being free in Scotland too many people fail to have regular eye tests. Some studies suggest that one in 10 people have never had their eyes checked.

‘Eyes aren’t just a window to the soul, they are a window on general health. Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease are among the serious health issues that can be detected by eye tests in addition to sight-threatening conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration.’

Fans who are watching on TV should give their eyes regular breaks to avoid eye strain, Graham added.

He said: ‘Like any other activity that involves close watching, especially on devices such as iPads or smartphones, the eye can get tired, resulting in dry, uncomfortable eyes, headaches and blurred distance vision in some cases.

‘Fans should use commercial breaks to gaze into the distance and rest their eyes. We’d recommending using the 20-20-20 rule: for every 20 minutes of TV look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.’

For more information on Black & Lizars, click HERE.