May is Healthy Vision Month! 

While every month is healthy vision month at EyeCare4Kids, we are excited to join millions across the country building awareness for this critical cause. Our eyes are so delicate, and we should always treat them as precious cargo. The month of May is a great reminder to focus on our eyes and the risks we take when we ignore their health.

A few fun vision facts for you:

• The first known record for the treatment of eye diseases dates back to Egypt in 1550 B.C. 
• Georg Joseph Beer, a surgeon, was responsible for pioneering the Beer’s operation as a treatment for cataracts. 
• Loannis Pallikaris, a Greek surgeon, performed the first LASIK surgery in 1989, which tells us that the science of vision has been researched for centuries and yet so much has yet to be discovered.

Another fact, according to a survey conducted by the National Eye Institute, more than 23 million Americans aged 18 and above have never undergone an eye exam. And the reason is that most think that they don’t have an eye problem. While they may not have an eye problem, unless we schedule regular exams, we cannot be sure.

Here are four tips to help you maintain healthy vision:

1. Schedule your annual eye exam. This exam will focus on prevention or recognizing any early signs of eye disease.

2. Know your risk. Family history of certain eye diseases such as macular degeneration could put you at higher risk as you age. A diagnosis of diabetes also puts you at higher risk for vision issues, as does smoking.

3. Maintain a healthy body. Foods that we eat to stay healthy also affect our eyes. Consider eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (fish, seeds, eggs and nuts), vitamin A and vitamin C as opposed to sugary and fried foods.

4. Wear protective eyewear. Sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection, safety goggles when working around debris or chemicals and playing sports and blue light filtering glasses to relieve digital eye strain.

Did you know, eyes can process approximately 36,000 pieces of information in one hour?

Let’s be sure to take care of them!