May is Time to Focus on Your Vision
By Janet Ellen Ursua, Family Nurse Practitioner & CVMG Family Member

The “EYES” have it!  The month of May is a reminder to take care of your eyes. 

In the United States blindness ranks third in terms of the most feared health condition secondary to cancer and AIDS. While ninety percent of people who are legally blind have some vision, early detection and treatment is the key.

Common eye disorders include glaucoma, blepharitis, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.  Obvious symptoms may not be present but frequently, visual difficulties occur long before blindness.  Recognizing the symptoms of loss of sight are important.

Do not ignore the warning signs.  Take action if you experience:

• Difficulty adjusting to dark rooms or being outside at night
• Wavy lines in visual field
• Blinking or squinting due to excessive sensitivity or brightness of light
• Persistent red, itchy, tearful eyes
• Perceiving light flashes or dark spots
• Loss of peripheral vision
• Seeing halos or rainbows around light
• Blurred or double vision

Your eyes are the window to the world.  Maintain your sight!  Protect your visual health and schedule an ophthalmology examination this month.