A HALSTEAD opticians took to the town’s streets to raise awareness about healthy eyes.

Wardale Williams, on Halstead High Street, have been talking to residents about how eating foods high in certain vitamins can help to protect your eyesight from diseases like age Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma and Cataracts.

The optician team took to the High Street with samples of food and drink made by the team, using healthy recipes.

Optician Mark Thompson said: “It is all to do with vitamins really. Fruit and vegetables with bright colours, like your peppers, tomatoes, carrots, have suitable chemicals and vitamins which are good for your eyes.

“There is a bit of a link to your five a day, having five a day will obviously help your health, but it may help your eyes once you are a bit older as well. A bad diet can have a negative affect on your eyes, and in turn a good diet can help your eyesight.

“Most people aren’t aware of this, so we do things like this to boost awareness, and show the public how healthy eating can help your eyes as well as your health.”

The exercise was part of a wider campaign by all Wardale Williams branches.

Beverley Revell, support services director, added: “It was so good to get young people and children engaged in what we were doing and offering them information at an early age will hopefully help them to be aware of the importance of looking after their eyes.”