Eye health

A health precaution that sometimes goes unnoticed, eye care is something most people put off.

Maintaining good eye health may lead to the early diagnosis of other illnesses, and taking care of underlying illnesses may promote vision wellness.

Janine Aman, an optometrist with Texas State Optical in Copperas Cove, advised that children get an eye exam before they enter pre-kindergarten and once a year afterward.

Healthy adults should get an eye exam every two years or annually if they have diabetes or high blood pressure.

Aman said that it's imperative for children to have their eyes checked once a year because school vision screenings only check for distance.

Other illnesses and eye care

Pam Morrison, manager at Walmart's vision center, said in an earlier interview, "A lot of people don't realize that ... diabetes, high blood pressure, UV ray damage can affect your vision."

For diabetics, Aman said when their blood-sugar level is too high, changes in the matrix of the lenses can cause blurry vision.

According to the American Diabetes Association, high blood pressure can make vision worse.

"Diabetic retinopathy is caused when high blood-sugar levels from diabetes damage blood vessels in your retina, the nerve layer of tissue at the back of your eye," according to the Eye Care America Web site. "Strict control of your blood sugar will significantly reduce the long-term risk of vision loss."

Protecting eyes

Eyes and vision can be protected by taking several precautions.

Aman said people should wear sunglasses to protect the eyes from harmful UV rays and prevent cataracts from forming.

She said once cataracts set in, the peripheral vision can slowly deteriorate.

In addition to protecting eyes from the sun, Sarah Hecker with Prevent Blindness America, which designates March as Workplace Vision Wellness Month, said the declaration is to promote the use of protective eyewear in fields like construction or when dealing with harmful materials.

Hecker said the organization also tries to raise awareness for those who work in an office setting and look at a computer screen for long periods.

Hecker said there has not been any extensive research performed on the long-term effects of damage to the eyes from looking at computer screens for long periods, but it can cause fatigue.

Aman said other ways to protect eyes and vision are to use protective eyewear when necessary, maintain a balanced diet, take vitamins and don't smoke.