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Better sight

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As we grow older, our sight tends to change and almost everyone over the age of 65 needs to wear glasses, whether for reading or to help with general vision.

Ageing better togetherRegular eye tests and suitable glasses will increase the chances of your sight remaining good. Unfortunately, some people’s sight will continue to get worse so that they have difficulty seeing even with glasses. But if you get the right help and advice, worsening sight shouldn’t stop you from leading a full and independent life.

Eye tests

An eye test is not just a test to see whether you need glasses; it is a vital check on the health of your eyes. Eye diseases can often be detected at an early stage, usually before you have even noticed anything is wrong. This is very important as early treatment may stop the eye disease getting any worse and prevent the damage it would cause to your vision.

It is recommended that you have an eye test at least every two years, and more often if you notice any change in your vision.

You can find more useful information and advice by downloading our information guide below

opens link in new window Download our Caring for your eyes guide (PDF 1MB)

We are grateful for the generous support of Dr Naim Dangoor CBE
and The Exilarch's Foundation

Your Age UK

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Age UK Advice:
0800 169 6565

Useful information to download

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Downloads

What is a download?

A download is a document (like a research report, a leaflet, or an application form) that can be transferred from our website to your computer. You can download a file, view it on your screen, print it, or save it to your computer.

What is a PDF?

PDF stands for ‘portable document format’.

Most downloads on this website are PDFs. We use this format to ensure that the document looks the same on everyone’s computer (website pages, by contrast, appear differently depending on how people have set their computer up).

How do I download a PDF?

Computers use a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader to download PDFs. If you try clicking on a link to download a PDF and it doesn’t work, you will need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader onto your computer.

How do I install Adobe Acrobat Reader?

The process is quite straightforward and is free.

  1. Go to opens link in new window http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/
  2. Click ‘Download’.
  3. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Run’, then choose this option.
  4. Click ‘Next’.
  5. Click ‘Install’
  6. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Finish’, then choose this option.

How do I change a download?

PDFs cannot be changed. If you need to be able to type into a downloaded document (for example, if we are offering a letter template that you need to put your name on) we will provide it as a Microsoft Word document rather than a PDF. You can then download it, type into it and save it to your computer.

How do I print or save a download?

Downloads will open on your computer in a new browser window.

Inside this window (below all your web browser menus), there will be a toolbar with options for you to print or save the document.

Close the browser window to return to the Age UK website.

Can my screen reader read PDF downloads?

We have made every effort to make our PDFs accessible to screen readers. Here is an overview of your accessibility options available in Acrobat Reader. Please ensure that you have downloaded the latest version of Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Reader website to ensure that they are included in your version of the programme.

You can use Adobe Reader to read a PDF out loud with the following shortcut keys:

  • Read the document: Shift +Ctrl+Y
  • Read the open page only: Shift +Ctrl+V
  • Read to the end of the document: Shift+Ctrl+B
  • Pause: Shift+Ctrl+C
  • Stop Shift+Ctrl+E

You can also convert a PDF into a web page by following these steps:

  • Copy the URL (web address) of the document (right-click on the link and select ‘Save target as’ or ‘Copy link’).
  • Open the Adobe online conversion tool in your browser and paste the URL into the URL box.
  • Tick the HTML box on the Format option and click ‘Convert’.

You can convert a PDF document into a text file for use with other software and hardware such as Braille printers by opening the PDF and choosing ‘Save as text’ from the File menu.

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