Protect the Gift of Sight
October is Family Eye Care Month

In honor of Family Eye Care Month, which is celebrated throughout the month of October, Virginia EyeMDs (ophthalmologists) urge citizens to S.E.E.! Stop Endangering Eyes. Pay attention to warning signs and visit an Eye M.D. regularly.

Many people associate eye problems with getting older. While it's true that seniors are at higher risk for a lot of eye problems, some of those problems actually start earlier, and vision loss could have been prevented if the problem was caught soon enough. Preschoolers, senior citizens, diabetics and people with high risk factors for certain eye problems all need regular medical eye exams. Too often, they don't get them, and the sad result is vision loss.

Toddlers should be screened for common childhood eye problems, like Strabismus [crossed eyes] and Amblyopia [lazy eye], as well as refractive errors such as Nearsightedness and Farsightedness before age 5. Some warning signs that your child may have vision problems include: wandering or crossed eyes, a family history of childhood vision problems, a disinterest in reading or viewing distant objects and squinting or turning the head in an unusual manner while watching TV.

Most young people have healthy eyes, but they still need to take care of their vision. In young adulthood, the major danger to the eyes is accidental injury. Sports, household accidents-even jump-starting a car can cause devastating eye injuries leading to vision loss. EyeMDs recommend protective eyewear for all those activities.

Even the young adult and middle age groups can be affected by eye problems. Those at risk for disease include African-Americans over age 40 [Glaucoma], people with diabetes [Diabetic Retinopathy], and those with a family history of eye problems. If you fall into one of these groups, check with your Eye M.D. to find out how often you need an exam.

Seniors over age 65 should be examined at least every one to two years for cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and other eye conditions. The warning signs for Cataracts are blurred vision, double vision, ghost images, impression of a film over the eyes, or a need for frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions, which may not improve vision.

There are few signs or symptoms in the early stages of Glaucoma, but in the later stages, there is a loss of side vision, an inability to adjust the eye to darkened rooms, difficulty focusing on close work, rainbow colored rings or haloes around lights and frequent need to change eyeglass prescriptions.

Some of the signs of Macular Degeneration are; straight lines in your center field of vision appear wavy, type in books appears blurry and dark or empty spots block your center of vision.

Protecting your eyes from accidents, and early detection and treatment of eye problems are the best ways for you and your family to keep your good vision throughout life.

*Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology