Healthy Vision Month

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Did you know that today is National Lucky Penny Day?  I know, not quite on par with National Donut Day. I’ve never been a “lucky” person, but even if I were, one thing I would not be leaving up to luck are my eyes.  Think you have been blessed with “good eyes”? Do you know for certain?

The CDC highlights this month as Healthy Vision Month, a much more important national observance in my opinion.  If you haven’t had a comprehensive eye exam in awhile, this is your friendly reminder to schedule a dilated eye exam and make your vision and eye health a priority.

According to the CDC, an estimated 93 million adults in the US are at high risk for serious vision loss, but only half visited an eye doctor in the past 12 months. Furthermore, the annual economic impact of major vision problems among adults 40 years and older is more than $145 billion. https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basics/ced/fastfacts.htm  Some eye diseases do not have any warning signs so your best defense in preventing vision loss is to detect things early with regular eye exams.

 

Here are 8 additional tips you can do to keep your eyes healthy:

1. Know your family’s eye health history, as some conditions are hereditary.
2. Incorporate green leafy vegetables into your diet and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Wear protective eyewear when playing sports, doing yard work, home repairs, or in the workplace.
4. Maintain a healthy weight. Generallly, what is good for the rest of your body is good for your eyes.
5. Smoking cessation. Making a plan to quit will help lower your risk for conditions like macular degeneration and cataracts.
6. Wear sunglasses, even on cloudy days. Look for those that block 99-100% of both UV-A and UV-B radiation. Darker does not always mean better.
7. Clean your contact lenses properly and wash your hands before handling them.
8. Take breaks from prolonged screen time with the 20-20-20 rule to reduce eyestrain.

With that said, we are lucky to have such great patients and will continue to make your eyes our priority!

Have a great week,

Dr. Rachel

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