Eye do
Gone are the days of chunky unsightly glasses that cover half your face and lead to cruel 'four eyes' taunts from school bullies.
Specs today are the ultimate style statement with barely a rock star, movie legend or celeb failing to lend their famous face to a pair as they pose for the cameras.
Think of Annie Lennox, Sir Michael Cain, Chris Evans, Sophia Loren and Johnny Depp and you'll get the picture. It's time to raise a glass to glasses for no longer being the sole domain of nerds and geeks.
Face furniture can be funky and fashionable, whether it`s for practical purposes like being able to see better, or pure glamour and cool with a pair of classy shades.
But while many of us don sunnies with nothing more in mind than adding a touch of celebrity chic to our outfits, shielding your eyes from damaging UV rays is also good for your health.
Just as important for men as women, quality sunglasses are definitely a worthwhile investment. Look out for the CE Kitemark when you're buying.
Choose glasses that fit closely and cover the whole eye area, to prevent potentially-dangerous rays sneaking in around the edges. The colour of the lenses is no indication of the strength of protection offered, so be sure to check the label for advice and information.
Finding the perfect pair of shades for your face is the fun part. Go retro with a 1950s movie star look, or be influenced by sporty types. Or why not go full-on celeb with a pair of oversized "bug eye" shades, Ã la Paris Hilton and Victoria Beckham? Of course, prescription sunglasses are available from your optician, so keep an eye out and shop around.
And while you're there, why not book in for a sight test if you haven't had one for a while? Most people should have an eye examination every two years, although factors such as age and medical history may mean you should go more often.
More than just confirming whether your eyesight needs correcting, for example if you are short-sighted, optometrists can check for a whole range of other underlying health problems and conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, so eye examinations are a vital part of your body's MOT.
If your kids are reluctant to have their eyes checked, remind them of their celebrity role models. And if your own cost-saving mantra is to simply stick with your decade-old frames and pay only for new prescription lenses, it could be time to splash out on updating your image.
With special offers and deals, it's never been easier ‒ or more affordable ‒ to change your look to suit your mood. See specs as accessories to complement what you're wearing or enhance how you feel and they'll give you a whole new attitude and confidence.
If you want to try contact lenses, you might go for daily disposables or continuous wear.
Whatever your reasons for paying attention to your peepers, it's something we should all be doing. Taking care of your eyes ‒ and looking good ‒ is really important to your overall health, well-being and self-esteem.
Follow our guide, with advice from the experts, to eye health
• Wearing someone else's glasses may damage your eyes.
No. Although you may not be able to see very well with them and may get a headache or double vision, you won't come to any harm from wearing glasses that are not your prescription (unless you're driving a motor vehicle).
• Not wearing your glasses will make you depend upon them less.
No. If you don't wear your glasses you may become more accustomed to the blur and won't remember how bad it is, and thereby think that your eyes have got better (when they haven't).
• Watching TV too much or too closely will damage eyes.
Kids will be delighted to know that this warning isn't true, but parents can fall back on the fact that too much viewing can make your eyes tired or cause a headache. You're particularly vulnerable if TV is viewed in the dark when you are effectively looking at a moving light, like a torch.
• Exercising eye muscles can allow you to "throw away your glasses".
No, people (normally) need specs because of the shape and size of their eyes (i.e. their eyes are too big or too small). Exercises won't help this.
• Eating carrots improves eyesight.
There's some truth in this as carrots are a source of vitamin A, which is important for the eyes. Before embarking on an all-carrot diet, bear in mind that it's more important for eye health to have a balanced diet that supports your all-round health. Poor nutrition is implicated in diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Think of Annie Lennox, Sir Michael Cain, Chris Evans, Sophia Loren and Johnny Depp and you'll get the picture. It's time to raise a glass to glasses for no longer being the sole domain of nerds and geeks.
Face furniture can be funky and fashionable, whether it`s for practical purposes like being able to see better, or pure glamour and cool with a pair of classy shades.
But while many of us don sunnies with nothing more in mind than adding a touch of celebrity chic to our outfits, shielding your eyes from damaging UV rays is also good for your health.
Just as important for men as women, quality sunglasses are definitely a worthwhile investment. Look out for the CE Kitemark when you're buying.
Choose glasses that fit closely and cover the whole eye area, to prevent potentially-dangerous rays sneaking in around the edges. The colour of the lenses is no indication of the strength of protection offered, so be sure to check the label for advice and information.
Finding the perfect pair of shades for your face is the fun part. Go retro with a 1950s movie star look, or be influenced by sporty types. Or why not go full-on celeb with a pair of oversized "bug eye" shades, Ã la Paris Hilton and Victoria Beckham? Of course, prescription sunglasses are available from your optician, so keep an eye out and shop around.
And while you're there, why not book in for a sight test if you haven't had one for a while? Most people should have an eye examination every two years, although factors such as age and medical history may mean you should go more often.
More than just confirming whether your eyesight needs correcting, for example if you are short-sighted, optometrists can check for a whole range of other underlying health problems and conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, so eye examinations are a vital part of your body's MOT.
If your kids are reluctant to have their eyes checked, remind them of their celebrity role models. And if your own cost-saving mantra is to simply stick with your decade-old frames and pay only for new prescription lenses, it could be time to splash out on updating your image.
With special offers and deals, it's never been easier ‒ or more affordable ‒ to change your look to suit your mood. See specs as accessories to complement what you're wearing or enhance how you feel and they'll give you a whole new attitude and confidence.
If you want to try contact lenses, you might go for daily disposables or continuous wear.
Whatever your reasons for paying attention to your peepers, it's something we should all be doing. Taking care of your eyes ‒ and looking good ‒ is really important to your overall health, well-being and self-esteem.
Follow our guide, with advice from the experts, to eye health
• Wearing someone else's glasses may damage your eyes.
No. Although you may not be able to see very well with them and may get a headache or double vision, you won't come to any harm from wearing glasses that are not your prescription (unless you're driving a motor vehicle).
• Not wearing your glasses will make you depend upon them less.
No. If you don't wear your glasses you may become more accustomed to the blur and won't remember how bad it is, and thereby think that your eyes have got better (when they haven't).
• Watching TV too much or too closely will damage eyes.
Kids will be delighted to know that this warning isn't true, but parents can fall back on the fact that too much viewing can make your eyes tired or cause a headache. You're particularly vulnerable if TV is viewed in the dark when you are effectively looking at a moving light, like a torch.
• Exercising eye muscles can allow you to "throw away your glasses".
No, people (normally) need specs because of the shape and size of their eyes (i.e. their eyes are too big or too small). Exercises won't help this.
• Eating carrots improves eyesight.
There's some truth in this as carrots are a source of vitamin A, which is important for the eyes. Before embarking on an all-carrot diet, bear in mind that it's more important for eye health to have a balanced diet that supports your all-round health. Poor nutrition is implicated in diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).