Healthy Vision Month: Eyes on Health

Photo: A pair of eye glasses resting on an eye chart

By: Shanida Ingalla, O.D., WBRC Optometrist

May is Healthy Vision Month.  People who have already experienced vision loss due to eye disease often ask me “Do I still need to get an annual eye exam?”  In a word, Yes!

A nationwide survey commissioned by Lighthouse International showed that only a small minority of those most at risk get the yearly eye exams that could detect a vision problem and prevent, delay or even reverse its progression. Fully 86 percent of those who already have an eye disease do not get routine exams, the telephone survey of 1,004 adults revealed.

Even after being diagnosed, it is still important to monitor your eye health for changes.  It is also equally vital to continue to be screened for other potential eye diseases.  An annual eye exam is your opportunity to learn from your eye doctor if there have been any recent advances in treatments or rehabilitation that may benefit you.

It is often said that the eyes are the window to the soul.  Certainly the eyes are a window to the body, and a proper eye exam can often alert your doctor to a serious underlying disease like diabetes, hypertension, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and multiple sclerosis.

So if it has been a while since your last eye exam, please call your eye doctor and schedule one today!

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