January

is Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma is called "the sneak thief of sight" since there are no symptoms and once vision is lost, it's permanent.
 
As much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing. 
 
Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness.
 
Over 2.2 million Americans, and over 60 million people worldwide, have glaucoma. Experts estimate that half of them don’t know they have it.
 
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually steal sight without warning.
 
Vision loss is caused by damage to the optic nerve. This nerve acts like an electric cable with over a million wires. It is responsible for carrying images from the eye to the brain.
 
There is no cure for glaucoma—yet. However, medication or surgery can slow or prevent further vision loss. Early detection is vital to stopping the progress of the disease
 
The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get a comprehensive eye examination. Then, if you have glaucoma, treatment can begin immediately.
 
Those at higher risk include people of African, Asian, and Hispanic descent. Other high-risk groups include: people over 60, family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted. Regular eye exams are especially important for those at higher risk for glaucoma, and may help to prevent unnecessary vision loss.
 
Read more at: www.glaucoma.org




Less than 3 months to "use it or lose it!" Make sure you use your flex spending account dollars. 
Vision services are covered!  Whether you use it for an eye exam, glasses, contacts, or even eye drops.  Use it or lose it!

Make Eye Exams Part of the Back to School Routine

Before heading back to the classroom, make sure your child gets their annual eye exam to ensure they start off the school year right!

Healthy vision is an important part to the learning process and success in school. Reading, writing and computer work are among the visual skills that students are required to perform daily.

Many experts believe that approximately 80 percent of learning comes through a child’s eyes. Despite the strong correlation between vision and learning, many Americans underestimate the number of children affected by eye and vision problems.

Keep up to date on the latest vision related news and events from Mark L. Bottelson, OD & Assoc.,P.C. in Windsor Heights serving West Des Moines.

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