May is Healthy Vision Month!

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May is Healthy Vision Month . Get an eye exam to check your general eye health . If you haven't had one in a while, schedule one now .

Just as you should prioritize a healthy diet and physical activity, taking care of your eyes should also be a priority . Healthy vision can help you maintain your physical safety every day . To maintain eye health, check your current condition with a dilated eye exam. An ophthalmologist uses eye drops to dilate the pupils to check for common vision problems and eye diseases .

Eye health that requires management

Some eye conditions can cause vision loss and even blindness . These include :

• Cataract : Clouding of the eye
• Diabetic retinopathy : damage to the blood vessels at the back of the eye
• Glaucoma : damage to the optic nerve, often accompanied by increased intraocular pressure
• Age-related macular degeneration : progressively affects central vision

Eye and overall health

Taking good care of your eyes can also benefit your overall health . People with vision problems are more likely to have diabetes , hearing loss , heart problems , high blood pressure , back pain, and stroke than those with good vision, and they are at higher risk for falls , injuries, and depression . Among people 65 and older , 54.2% of those who are blind and 41.7% of those with visual impairment reported being in good or poor overall health . Only 21.5% of older Americans without vision problems reported being in good or poor health .

In addition to a comprehensive vision test with dilated pupils, please visit an ophthalmologist if you have any of the following symptoms or conditions :

• decreased vision
• eye pain
• Drainage or redness of the eye
• double vision
• diabetes
• Floaters : small spots that appear to float in front of the eyes
• A circle ( halo ) around a light source

Visit your eye doctor during Healthy Vision Month in May to maintain eye health .