SEE YOUR EYE HEALTH CLEARLY
Do you include eye care when considering your overall health? If you see clearly, it’s easy to overlook routine eye care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that an estimated 61 million adults in the United States are at a high risk for vision loss, but only half of those have visited an eye doctor in the last 12 months. One of the most common misconceptions is that if you are not experiencing noticeable vision issues, an eye exam is unnecessary. Comprehensive eye exams, however, go beyond determining your prescription for eyeglasses or contacts. Eye doctors are often the first health care professionals to detect systemic conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, lupus, risk of stroke and even some cancers.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology states that the three main causes of blindness in the United States are glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease, which all happen to be very common eye problems in aging adults. Since the brain adapts to vision loss, it’s difficult to know when changes have occurred.
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Early detection and timely treatment of eye problems, including dry eyes, has been found to be very effective in preventing more complex problems and damage. Eye
health education helps you learn more about common threats to your vision, like the danger of sun exposure, sports injuries, and digital eye strain, including the steps you can take to protect your sight from these daily threats.
Research shows that people fear vision loss more than they fear other serious health problems, so it’s important to understand how to best protect your eyes. Don’t ignore signs of dry eyes or other common eye problems as they can cause inflammation, blurred vision, and even blindness in extreme cases.
Discover a clearer picture of your eye health at our FREE seminar on Wednesday, February 12, at the Roxborough YMCA. Join Hannah Berry, MD, Chestnut Hill Family Practice, to discuss eye problems, prevention, and treatment options – so you can recognize early symptoms of vision problems and maintain your eye health. Register today! Call 215-753-2000 or visit TowerHealth.org/Wellness.
Located in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia and a member of Tower Health, Chestnut Hill Hospital is a 148-bed, community-based, university-affiliated, teaching hospital committed to excellent patient-centered care. Chestnut Hill Hospital provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient, diagnostic and treatment services for people in northwest Philadelphia and eastern Montgomery County. With more than 300 board-certified physicians, Chestnut Hill Hospital’s specialties include minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgery, cardiology, gynecology, oncology, orthopedics, urology, family practice and internal medicine. Chestnut Hill Hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission and is affiliated with university-hospitals in Philadelphia for heart and stroke care and residency programs. For more information, visit www.towerhealth.org.
