January is National Eye Care Month. Why is this health awareness holiday so important? The Vision Council of America notes that 12.2 million Americans require some sort of vision correction but don’t use any. Nearly 50% of parents with children under 12 have never taken their children to an eye care professional.
Your eyes are very important and you should take care of them. Here are some reasons why you should visit your eyecare professional and have an eye examination:
- Unexplained headaches. If you have been having unexplained, constant headaches, your solution could be visiting your optometrist. An eyecare professional can pinpoint the source of your headaches.
- Your eyes change over time. An optometrist can determine if you need eyeglasses or contact lenses, or if you need a stronger prescription to reduce eyestrain and to help you see better at close or far distances.
- Detect eye conditions. An optometrist is able to spot the early onset signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, glaucoma, and high cholesterol just by conducting an eye exam.
- Prevent conditions. Many serious eye diseases often have no symptoms. An optometrist will see the early signs of diseases, such as macular degeneration or cataracts. Early detection is important to prevent serious damage.