May is Healthy Vision Month!
May is Healthy Vision Month, a national eye health observance devoted to promoting the vision objectives in Healthy People 2010. The goal of Healthy Vision Month 2009 is to promote the importance of getting eye exams.
More than 11 million Americans have uncorrected refractive errors according to a recent study conducted by the National Eye Institute. Refractive errors are one of the most common -- and correctable -- vision problems in the U.S. Eye care professionals can conduct comprehensive dilated eye exams and prescribe corrective eyewear, such as glasses or contact lenses, to help improve a person's vision.
Refractive error is a vision disorder that occurs when the eye doesn't correctly bend, or "refract," light as it enters the eye. Common refractive errors include the following:
- Nearsightedness (myopia): Close objects are seen clearly, but distance ones are blurred.
- Farsightedness (hyperopia): Distant objects are seen clearly, but close ones are blurred.
- Astigmatism: Irregular curvature of the cornea that results in vision that is like looking into a distorted or wavy mirror. Astigmatism can occur with farsightedness or nearsightedness.
- Presbyopia: Loss of elasticity of the lens that occurs with aging. Usually becomes significant after age 45.
Refractive errors can be detected by an eye care professional during a comprehensive dilated eye exam. Upon detecting a refractive error, an eye care professional can provide prescriptive eyewear to help correct the problem. Prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses are the most common forms of vision correction. More than 150 million Americans use corrective eyewear, spending more than $15 billion on eyewear each year.
