Dr. Andrea Zimmerman

NEW YORK, (Jan. 30, 2017)  — Keeping eyes healthy is important at any age, beginning with young children. As part of its support for Low Vision Awareness Month this February, Lighthouse Guild, the leading not-for-profit vision and healthcare organization, advises everyone to schedule regular screenings and comprehensive eye examinations.  

Early childhood examinations/early detection
Vision screenings and eye exams are critical to

detect problems like amblyopia, or lazy eye, the

most common cause of visual impairment among

young children, according to the National Eye

Institute. 

That’s why experts, like the U.S. Preventive Services

Task Force, recommend vision screening for all children at least once between ages 3 and 5 years. A pediatrician, family physician or other trained health care provider can conduct screenings, which are often offered at schools, community health centers or community events. If a vision problem is suspected, the next step should be an eye examination performed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist.

Adult examinations help prevent problems 
Amblyopia is also the most common cause of visual impairment among young and middle-aged adults. But it can be largely prevented, if detected and treated early. In addition, vision-threatening eye diseases like glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy have no symptoms in their early stages, but they slowly affect your eyes and can lead to blindness. 
 
“If you have regular comprehensive dilated eye exams, we can find these serious eye diseases before they advance and affect your vision,” says Andrea Zimmerman, OD, a low vision specialist at Lighthouse Guild. For this test, your eye doctor will use drops to dilate your pupils to get a better view of the back of your eyes, she explains. “If you find out you’re in the early stages of an eye disease, your eye care professional will help you to maintain the highest possible level of eye health and visual function.”

Tips for good eye health
•    Speak up if your vision changes. If you notice blurry spots, blurred vision, halos surrounding lights, eyes that itch or burn, black spots or “floaters,” double vision, tearing or watering eyes, or if you find yourself squinting or having trouble reading or watching television, it’s time to make an appointment. An eye doctor should be made aware of any gradual changes in your vision so the necessary actions can be taken to maintain eye health.

•    Get regular exams. Your eye doctor will tell you how frequently you should have a dilated eye exam if you have risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension or a family history of eye disease. Otherwise, the American Optometric Association recommends an exam every two years, if you’re younger than 60 and are not experiencing symptoms of eye or vision problems, and once a year if you’re over 60 and not experiencing symptoms of eye or vision problems.

•    Seek urgent care. Seek urgent care if you experience sudden and/or severe eye pain, sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes, light flashes, or if your eyes turn bright red. Any of these could indicate a severe problem and should be addressed immediately.

•    Get UV-protected sunglasses. Tinted glasses will not protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. “In fact, because your pupils open wider when shaded by dark lenses, UV light is able to go straight through the unprotected lenses right into your open pupils, causing more damage to your eyes,” says Dr. Zimmerman. She says it’s important to get good quality eyewear that provides both UVA and UVB coverage, to protect your eyes properly.

•    Give your eyes a rest from the effects of digital eye strain. This type of eye strain—also known as computer vision syndrome—doesn’t permanently damage eyesight, but symptoms could include burning or tired eyes, headaches, neck pain, fatigue, blurred or double vision. To rest your eyes, it’s good to look up from your work every 20 minutes, focus on an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds (the 20-20-20 rule).

Join @lighthousegld on Thursday, Feb. 2, from 2 to 2:30pm EST for the kickoff of Low Vision Awareness Month with a Q&A featuring Dr. Zimmerman. She will answer questions about low vision exams and maintaining healthy eyes.

About Lighthouse Guild
Lighthouse Guild, headquartered in New York City, is the leading not-for-profit vision and healthcare organization with a long history of addressing the needs of people who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities or chronic medical conditions. With more than 200 years of experience and service, Lighthouse Guild brings a level of understanding to vision care that is unmatched. By integrating vision and healthcare services and expanding access through its programs and education and awareness, we help people lead productive, dignified and fulfilling lives. For more information, visit LighthouseGuild.org.

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Lighthouse Guild Offers Tips for Good Eye Health