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May is Healthy Vision Month - 5 Tips to Keep Your Eyes Healthy

Did you know that many eye diseases don't show symptoms in their early stages? And that people with diabetes and high blood pressure are at greater risk for developing eye disease?

That's why it's so important to get an eye exam!

Here are five things you can do to keep your eyes healthy:

1. Get a comprehensive dilated eye exam
2. Use protective eyewear during sports and other recreational activities
3. Know your family's eye health history
4. Wear sunglasses that block out 99-100% of UVA/UVB rays
5. Live a healthy lifestyle by maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthy foods, not smoking and managing chronic health conditions.

These steps can help you keep your eyes healthy and prevent vision loss and blindness from eye disease.

Women Need to be Extra Vigilant about Eye Care

Women are more likely to have eye-related diseases and conditions, including cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. Nearly two-thirds of blindness and visual impairment occurs in women, and women make up the majority of the 4.4 million Americans age 40 and older who are blind or visually impaired.

You may be busy, on the go, and caring for your family, but it is important that you make the time to take care of you! Make your eye health a priority and take the five important steps to protect your sight.

When Should You Get an Eye Exam?

If you're turning 40, it's time for you to get a baseline eye exam. This is an age when early signs of disease or changes in vision may occur. A baseline eye exam can help identify signs of eye disease at an early stage when many treatments can have the greatest impact on preserving vision. If you're older than 40 and haven't had a baseline eye exam yet, it's time to schedule one with your eye doctor.

Some people shouldn't wait until they are 40 to have a comprehensive eye exam. If you have an eye disease or if you have a risk factor for developing one, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of eye disease, you should see an ophthalmologist even if you are younger than 40.

Upon examining your eyes, your ophthalmologist can tell you how often you should undergo an eye exam. As you age, it's especially important that you have your eyes checked regularly because your risk for eye disease increases. If you are 65 or older, make sure you have your eyes checked every year or two for signs of age-related eye diseases such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

For more information about keeping your eyes healthy, visit https://nei.nih.gov/hvm