Failing the Grade In Vision and Eye Care

By Thomas P. Finley, OD

Dr. Finley's Family Eyecare

. http://visionsource-drfinley.net/

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Failing the Grade In Vision and Eye Care

We use our eyes every waking minute of every day. When people were surveyed about what their greatest fear was, “losing their vision” topped the list. Yet very few people do anything about this. Think about how difficult life would be with severely reduced vision or loss of vision. Don't leave good vision to chance.
More than 80% of what we learn is through our eyes and visual processing. Nearly 75% of a child's school day is spent in visual activities. Yet, 20-25% of children ages 5-17 have vision problems that can negatively affect their educational performance, with more than one in four complaining of headaches. In a recent nationwide survey, many children complained of difficulty seeing the classroom whiteboard/chalkboard even though 45% of them reported wearing corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Vision disorders are the fourth most common disability in the United States. One in thirty-five children has amblyopia or lazy eye, meaning the vision in one eye is not correctable to 20/20 acuity. A child can't read if they can't see. These vision deficiencies can often times be misidentified as behavioral or social problems. If you combine this with the fact that 75% of juvenile offenders have undetected and untreated vision problems, proper vision care for everyone becomes much more significant and necessary.
These alarming statistics persist and even worsen as we become older. Consider these numbers
2% of adults over age 40 have glaucoma, which, if undetected and not treated, will cause blindness.
1.5% of adults over age 40 have age related macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in people over age 55.
16% of adults over age 40 have cataracts.
Diabetes affects 4.1 million Americans over age 40. 30% will develop diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness in our country.
Because of our aging population, blindness is predicted to double over the next 13 years.
New research of over 6,500 adults reveals that 44% surveyed share the misguided belief that seeing well translates to good eye health. Seventy nine percent believe that improving their vision will positively impact their enjoyment of life. Seventy two percent say that improving their vision will also help them feel better about themselves and give them more confidence.
Despite these reported beliefs, only 54% of survey participants have ever had a comprehensive eye exam. More than one in three parents/caregivers has never taken their child under 18 years of age for any type of vision assessment. The reasons for not having an eye examination were “haven't really thought about it” (34%), “no perceived issues” (30%), and “vision isn't bad enough” (26%). Cost was only cited 10% of the time.
The time is now to act on our beliefs. Focus on good vision and eye health. Protect your most precious sense of vision. Schedule a yearly comprehensive eye health and vision examination for yourself and your family. See the world clearly and equip your children with the tools they need to learn properly and effectively. It's that important.
Don't take good vision and eye health for granted. Have a comprehensive eye examination to make certain you're seeing your best at all distances, your eyes are working well together as a team, and your eyes are healthy and free of sight threatening diseases.