According to WHO there are at least 2.2 billion people with a vision impairment globally.  Nearly half of these cases may have been prevented or corrected.  Blindness Awareness Month is observed every year to bring awareness to the causes of blindness and vision impairment.

Did you know?

• Globally around 1 billion people are not able to see well and do not have access to glasses.

• Cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors are the main cause of vision impairment and blindness.
• Eighty-two percent of people with vision impairment are over the age of 50.

How can you protect your vision from preventable eye conditions?

1. Schedule an annual comprehensive eye exam:  A dilated eye exam can catch eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts.  Catching these eye conditions early will allow for treatment that can slow or lessen the progression.
2. Discuss refractive errors with your doctor:  Refractive errors include nearsightedness and farsightedness.  Though these cannot be prevented, once diagnosed, most can be corrected.  Uncorrected refractive errors account for 43% of vision impairment worldwide. 
3. Stop or avoid smoking: Smoking increases your risk for developing such eye diseases as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, or glaucoma.
4. Eat healthy and be active:  Eating healthy and staying physically active can lower your risk of developing diabetes, which can lead to diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.

Focusing on your health, scheduling an annual eye exam with your eye doctor, and correcting refractive errors will help you protect your vision now and for the future.

If you have an uncorrectable eye condition that is keeping you from doing the things that you love,  connect with us! We can help you learn about useful tools that will help you maintain an independent and fun lifestyle.