Healthy Vision Month

Healthy Vision Month reminds the public that eye health is a priority just like eating well and physical activity. Healthy vision can help keep each of us safe each day. To keep eyes healthy, get a comprehensive dilated eye exam. It is the best way to find out if you need glasses or contacts, or are in the early stages of eye-related diseases.

When it comes to our health, we often visit our doctor or nurse regularly to make sure our bodies are healthy. But what about our eyes? They’re not always top of mind, but they’re just as important.

Making Your Eyes a Priority During Healthy Vision Month

The Glaucoma Research Foundation joins the National Eye Institute in empowering Americans to make their eye health a priority and educating them about steps they can take to protect their vision.

Suggestions include:

Get a dilated eye exam. Getting a dilated eye exam is the only way to catch eye diseases early. With many, there are no warning signs. Talk to your eye care professional about how often you should have one.

Live a healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy foods including green leafy vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing chronic conditions are important. Not smoking can significantly lower your risk of eye disease.

Know your family history. Talk to your family members about their eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with an eye disease, since many (like glaucoma) are hereditary. This will help to determine if you are at higher risk for developing an eye disease yourself.

Use protective eyewear. Protect your eyes when doing chores around the house, playing sports, or on the job to prevent eye injuries from happening. This includes wearing safety glasses, goggles, safety shields, and eye guards that are made of polycarbonate.

Wear sunglasses. When purchasing sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99 to 100% of both UVA and UVB radiation, so you can keep your vision sharp and eyes healthy. A hat offers great protection, too!

Taking these steps can help prevent vision loss, blindness, and many eye diseases and conditions from occurring.

Healthy Vision and Higher Risk

Americans agree that eyesight has a huge impact on day-to-day living. It is one of the senses people fear losing most. Unfortunately, people often do not pay attention to their eye health unless they notice a problem. Many common eye diseases that can lead to vision loss and blindness, such as diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD), often have no early warning signs or symptoms.

Have Regular Eye Exams

Having regular eye exams to make sure the eyes are healthy and seeing their best is important for everyone. However, the risk of vision loss and blindness is higher for some people. This is based on race, ethnicity, and other demographic and socioeconomic factors. Eye disease risks include if you have a family history of eye disease, diabetes, are African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, or Alaska Native or are older than 50. Some diseases affect certain populations disproportionately.

• Glaucoma, which affects your side or peripheral vision first, is three times more common in African Americans than in Whites. It is a leading cause of blindness in African Americans.
• Diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness caused by uncontrolled diabetes, occurs more often in Hispanics/Latinos than in Whites.
• American Indians and Alaska Natives are 35 percent more likely to have diabetes than the average adult in the United States. This puts them at increased risk of diabetic eye disease.
• Older adults are at higher risk of developing age-related eye diseases and conditions such as AMD, glaucoma, or cataract. AMD is a leading cause of blindness in Whites.

Protect Your Vision

If you are at higher risk of eye disease, having a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the best thing you can do to protect your vision. A comprehensive dilated eye exam is a painless procedure. It involves your health care professional placing drops in the eyes to dilate, or widen, the pupil. That way, he or she can get a good look at the back of the eye to check for signs of eye disease. With early detection, treatment can slow or stop vision loss and reduce the risk of blindness.

In addition to having regular eye exams, eating a healthy diet, not smoking, and wearing protective eyewear are just a few other things you can do to protect your sight.