Don't
wait for symptoms -- regular exams are recommended
Which of your five senses would you most fear
losing?
Most people say they fear losing their vision. Our
eyesight enables us to maintain our independence,
to gather information, to enjoy the people and places
that are dear to us.
And yet, few of us worry enough about our eyesight
to schedule regular eye exams to detect diseases that
can lead to vision loss.
"People say they're too busy or that there is
nothing wrong with their vision and they don't need
an eye exam," says Emily Chew, MD, an ophthalmologist
at the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes
of Health. "But it's important to know that in
many instances, there are no symptoms of eye diseases.
It's like high blood pressure: by the time you know
something is wrong, it may be too late."
But early detection of diseases like glaucoma, diabetic
eye disease, macular degeneration and cataracts may
prevent vision loss. Regular eye exams, from infancy
to late in life, can be the key.
Chew says guidelines on the frequency of eye exams
are divided into two groups: the general population
and those who are at higher risk.
For the general population, eye exams are recommended
at 6 months of age, age 3, age 6 (before entering
first grade) and then every two years. From ages 18
to 40, exams through dilated pupils, which allow the
eye care professional to view the back of the eye
more clearly, are recommended every two to four years,
and from 40 to 60, every two to three years.
People who may be at higher risk, and the recommendations
for each, include:
* Premature infants who were given oxygen at birth:
frequent eye exams during childhood
* anyone with a family history of eye disease: a dilated
eye exam every 1 - 2 years
* Blacks over age 40: a dilated eye exam every 1 -
2 years
* anyone over age 60: a dilated eye exam every 1 -
2 years
* people with diabetes: a dilated eye exam at least
every year
Chew cautions that waiting for symptoms to appear
before scheduling an eye exam is not a good idea.
"By the time symptoms emerge, often the disease
is fairly advanced and harder to treat," she
says. "Once vision is lost, it cannot always
be restored."
In addition to regular eye exams, there are steps
to prevent eye injury and vision loss, Chew says.
Anyone who is involved in a "high velocity"
sport such as hockey, baseball or squash, should wear
eye protection such as goggles or protective glasses.
Anyone using tools such as welders and chain saws
also should wear eye protection, whether it's for
a professional job or a do-it-yourself weekend project.
Anyone working with chemicals or solvents also should
protect their vision by wearing goggles.
To learn more about protecting your vision, visit
the National Eye Institute's Web site at www.nei.nih.gov.
Courtesy ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com, e-mail:
info@ARAcontent.com
