What nine in 10 tradies would tell their younger selves

“It can lead to time spent away from the workplace as you get these things treated and managed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist — a small piece of metal in the eye could cause you weeks of back and forth.”

When it comes to hearing protection, the aim of the game is to prevent the deterioration of tiny sensory hair cells that play a crucial role in hearing.

“They work a bit like seaweed in that they’re covered in fluid, which makes them move around, which signals the brain that you’ve heard a sound and then your brain is responsible for working out what that sound is,” Taylor explains.

“With all that movement, over time, those hairs start to wear out, and if you’re in a loud environment that’s constantly ‘exciting’ those hair cells, they wear out faster. And once they’re gone, they’re gone, and your only choice is a hearing aid.”

Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to looking after our hearing and sight.

“If you can’t have a conversation with a person who is 1 metre away without having to raise your voice, then the sound is loud enough to damage your ears — use ear plugs or earmuffs, or both if it’s really noisy,” Taylor says.

A lasting life impact

It seems many young tradies shirking protection don’t realise the link between good eyesight and hearing, and long-term health and happiness.

Sunglasses, for example, are a “long game” strategy for lasting life enjoyment.

“The damage won’t be shown until later with skin cancers around the eyelid, and there’s also increased risk of early development of cataracts or age-related macular degeneration in people who spent a lot of time in the sun,” Patel says.

“If you end up with vision loss, it impacts everything from driving to working to travelling and enjoying day-to-day activities. We’re living longer these days, and we need to be able to preserve our hearing and vision for much longer than previous generations.”

Specsavers values your hearing, and your eyesight. If you have noticed any changes to your hearing or eyesight, book a free 15-minute hearing check* at Specsavers by visiting www.specsavers.com.au/hearing or, book an appointment with an optometrist by visiting www.specsavers.com.au/stores.

*If further testing is required, a fee may apply.