HOW TO ENHANCE AND PROTECT
YOUR SIGHT

Achieving healthy sight means getting the best everyday quality of vision, plus, preserving eye health and well-being for the future. Simply put, seeing well for today, and tomorrow!

To ensure the best possible vision for you and your family, there are two important aspects of healthy sight you should understand.

Vision Care
Given that 50 percent of all vision loss can be prevented with an eye exam, visiting your eyecare professional regularly is the simplest step you can take to care for your vision. A regular, comprehensive eye exam can help correct eye sight and identify issues that could lead to impaired vision later in life.

Eyecare professional visits should include 1) a thorough patient history, 2) an eye exam and vision test, and 3) your doctor's recommendation.

  1. The patient history should explore your lifestyle needs, such as what you do for a living and what hobbies you enjoy. It should also review your overall medical history, including current conditions you are facing, medications you are taking, surgeries you've had, etc.
  2. Through a comprehensive eye exam, your doctor can detect the onset of eye diseases, such as glaucoma, cataract, macular degeneration and retinal detachment, which can be best treated when caught early. You doctor may also be able to detect certain system-wide diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and even eye tumors. The vision "test" or refraction is used determine your prescription.
  3. Your eye exam and patient history will guide your doctor's recommendations for vision correction and enhancement. Ask your doctor for a customized eyeglass prescription™, which should include their advice on vision wear options - the lens and frames that you need to ensure the best possible vision.

A lifetime of regular eye exams is important, and even infants should be seen by an eye doctor within the first year of life. Professional organizations recommend an exam every one-to-two years. Of course, those experiencing vision problems - such as difficulty seeing or eye strain - and those who are facing new eye or general health issues, can and should be seen before their next annual visit.

Talk to your eyecare professional about the best exam schedule for you and your family, or click here to find a professional in your area.

Vision Wear
Vision wear has advanced significantly in recent years, and can now address unique visual needs and long-term eye health concerns like never before. Beyond correcting vision to 20/20 in an exam room setting, the right eyewear can also enhance sight and provide important eye protection under real-world conditions.

UV radiation poses a serious threat to vision. Intense short-term exposure can lead to "sunburn" of the eye (called photokeratitis), while cumulative, long-term exposure has been linked to age-related eye diseases, such as cataract and macular degeneration. Children's eyes are particularly susceptible to UV.

  • People of all ages should choose eyewear that blocks 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays.
  • Look for eyewear that carries the Seal of Acceptance for UV Blockers/Absorbers from the World Council of Optometry or the American Optometric Association.

Excessive visible light can negatively impact sight, causing squinting and eye fatigue, and diminished vision. Most commonly called "glare," too much light decreases the contrast between "darks" and "lights," so it is hard to distinguish one object from another.

  • Tinted eyeglass lenses (such as sunglasses or polarized lenses) filter out excessive light to maximize contrast and restore good vision in bright light.
  • Photochromic lenses (such as Transitions® lenses, the #1-recommended photochromic worldwide) change from clear to dark in proportion to the intensity of UV rays. Since they automatically change to be as dark or as clear as necessary, they are ideal for optimizing vision everyday.

Reflections off of objects or eyeglass lenses themselves can be distracting, reducing vision and causing eye fatigue. This is particularly an issue with reflection from headlights when driving at night.

  • Anti-reflective lenses virtually eliminate reflections, helping to improve quality of vision and promote visual comfort.

Eye injury can needlessly steal vision. Your occupation or hobbies may place you at special risk.

  • Impact-resistant lenses and safety frames can help safeguard the eye from trauma.

To get an even clearer picture of the best eyewear for you, take a look at The Eyeglass Guide.