OOMC News

National Eye Exam month has been observed every year on August since 1989. The purpose of celebrating National Eye Exam month is to raise awareness of the importance of regular eye exams, and to remind everyone to get your eyes checked!

Did you know that regularly scheduled eye exams can help doctors identify other health issues in their early stages? An optometrist is able to spot the early onset signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, glaucoma, and high cholesterol. It’s important to understand the connection between your eye health to your overall health, and how your quality of life it too important to be ignored.

Unfortunately, not everyone knows about the connection between your eye health and your overall health. About 1% of the U.S. population is aware that you can detect serious diseases and conditions through an eye exams.

According to a survey by the American Optometric Association (AOA), one-third of respondents don’t know how to take care of their eyes and only 54 percent get an annual comprehensive eye exam. If people understood the importance of eye exams, we are certain that 16 million Americans would not be struggling with undiagnosed and untreated vision impairments.

In order to maintain a healthy vision, adults ages 18 to 60 should have a thorough eye exam at least every two years. Children under 18 and adults over the age of 61 should have annual exams.

Educating yourself on a healthy lifestyle can also contribute to the quality of your vision. Common steps such as a healthy diet, avoiding smoking, wearing proper eye protection, knowing your family medical history and getting regular exercise will make sure you are on the track to seeing your best.

And finally, it’s important to keep your eye doctor aware of ANY issues you are having, especially if you are noticing a change in your vision.

As always, Kremer Eye Center is here to answer any and all of your questions.