Glaucoma Awareness Month and Annual Eye Exams

It's a new year and what better resolution than leading a healthier lifestyle in 2012. One item on everyone's list this year seems to be heading back to the gym - to improve their fitness level, or just eating healthier overall for a better quality of life. However, how many of you think about going to the doctor more often for preventative health care screenings? Though it may be down your resolution list a bit, making it a point to see your eye doctor for regularly scheduled eye exams is a must in order to keep seeing your best in 2012 and beyond. It does not matter whether you wear corrective lenses or not, or even if you think our eyes are in perfect condition. Getting a regular eye exam is a necessary part of your overall health care, and vital to make sure you continue with healthy vision. Prevent Blindness America is helping promote the importance of regular annual eye exams by recognizing January as Glaucoma Awareness Month. Close to three million people actually have glaucoma, but half of them do not realize it because there are often no warning symptoms. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States of America and the first major leading cause of preventable blindness. Approximately 120,000 Americans are mostly blind because they suffer from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness in the United States of America. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among the African-American population in the U.S. as well. The condition is 6 to 8 times more common to be found in African-Americans than in Caucasians. Annual eye exams are the number one deterrent from individuals suffering vision loss from Glaucoma and other preventable eye diseases. This is because even in a routine eye examination, your eye doctor can detect signs and/or risk factors of glaucoma. If the condition is detected early enough their are many steps that can be taken to maintain the amount of healthy vision you currently have through topical (eye drops), laser, or surgical treatments. So make sure you make an annual eye exam a part of your healthier lifestyle in 2012 and keep seeing your best this year and beyond.