We are all at risk of losing our vision and the older we get the more susceptible we are. After the age of 40 the amount of visual impairment and blindness increases threefold with each decade of age.

Currently over half the population are already affected, based on the results of the 2001 National Health Survey, 9.7 million or 51% of the Australian population have at least one sight problem.

It is estimated that in Australia 116,000 people present to hospitals or general practitioners each year with accidental eye injuries. Every one of us is susceptible to work, home and sports related injuries, irrespective of our health.

Children lose their sight in many ways. These include retinopathy of prematurity, congenital cataracts, strabismus and ocular tumours. Another major cause of eye damage is through excessive exposure to the sun's ultra-violet rays. Frighteningly, often the damage does not manifest itself until later in life through diseases such as cancer and pterygium.

Young and middle-aged adults, however, are often blinded by other conditions such as diabetes and infections.

As for mature adults, there is a greater risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma. Also people in this age group often end up suffering from the cumulative effects of sun exposure, particularly eye cancer.

Common Eye Diseases

Australians not only have a high rate of skin cancer and melanoma, but many diseases of the eye are also caused by the sun. The Prevent Blindness Foundation has specialised in the research and prevention of sun-related eye diseases.

Over half of all Australians have at least one sight problem. The most common are cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.