Make May Healthy Vision Month
In the USA, May is Healthy Vision Month and although this concept may be American, the principle should be adopted across the globe.
An initiative created by the American National Eye Institute (NEI) Healthy Vision Month aims at making eye health a priority.
Making May a month that focuses on eye care is a smart move as it reminds people to take care of their eyes, book an eye test or address an issue they may have been avoiding. It’s also a great way to increase eye health awareness, to promote healthy habits and educate people as to what can affect their eyesight and how they can implement preventative measures wherever possible.
Spotlight On Eye Diseases
Healthy Vision Month also puts a spotlight on eye diseases and encourages those with a family history of problems to chat to a professional optometrist, or to see an ophthalmologist.
It’s estimated that over 625 million people worldwide are visually impaired or blind, unnecessarily. By keeping tabs on eye health and knowing whether or not you are at risk, either genetically or otherwise, you can potentially avoid becoming a statistic.
One of the easiest ways of addressing potential risks and spotting early signs of eye disease is by undergoing a comprehensive dilated eye exam. This only takes a few minutes and can highlight an issue early on, making treatment easier and generally more successful than if a condition has developed or a disease has taken hold.
Eye diseases and issues that can be treated early on for best results include:
- Cataracts
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Age related macular degeneration
- Glaucoma
Reducing Risk And Improving Lifestyle
Healthy Vision Month is a great time to reassess your lifestyle and to try and reduce the amount of time spent sitting in front of the computer, using a mobile phone or tablet, or e reader.
Our lifestyle can play a role in our eye health and aside from spending a large amount of time in front of electronic devices, we can look at eating foods that promote good eye health, wearing sunglasses to protect our eyes and ensuring that our glasses or contact lens prescription is up to date and the correct strength.
Focus On Ultraviolet Awareness
In addition to May being Healthy Vision Month it’s also Ultraviolet Awareness Month. This initiative is sponsored by Prevent Blindness America, but is also just as important on a global scale.
Ultraviolet Awareness Month aims at raising awareness as to how UVA and UVB rays can damage your eyes and increase your risk of eye cancer or cataracts, and of the preventative measures you can take to reduce the risks.
Prolonged exposure to the sun and harmful UVA and UVB rays can cause permanent damage and few people recognise the risk of prolonged exposure, before its too late. By improving awareness it’s hoped that a greater number of people will wear sunglasses that are designed to protect the eyes and understand that eye health at any age is important.
Make May the month you have your eyes checked, or buy a pair of sunglasses that offers adequate protection. Chat to an EyeQ optometrist and find out how best to future proof your vision.
