National Immunization awareness Month August 2021
August is National Immunization Month. It's also the beginning of back-to-school preparations and a good time to make sure your children are properly vaccinated before they head back to school.
There is no one preventive health measure more important than immunization. As the World Health Organization notes, the international medical community has endorsed the use of vaccines and immunization to prevent and control a number of infectious diseases, as well as chronic diseases caused by “infectious agents.” Vaccinating your child can avoid suffering and death associated with afflictions like diarrhea, measles, pneumonia, polio and whooping cough.
Find more information at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niam/index.html
National eye exam Month August 2021
August is National Eye Exam month and time to return to school. Getting a vision exam is a part of that process. Healthy vision is key to a great start to school!
Taking care of your eyes should be a priority just like eating healthy and physical activity. Deteriorating vision can be an early indicator of other health issues. Getting vision exams on a regular schedule helps doctors to identify issues in their early stages.
Find more information at https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/healthyvisionmonth/index.htm
five reasons why you should have an eye examination
Save a headache
If you have been having unexplained, constant headaches, your solution could be visiting your optometrist. An eye care professional can pinpoint the problem of your headaches.
Perform well in school
One out of every four children has vision problems. A common reason children fall behind in school is poor, undetected vision. Taking your children to the optometrist can detect an eyesight problem that can contribute to learning and reading difficulties.
Determine prescription
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 help you see well.
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, glaucoma or cataracts. Early detection is important to prevent serious damage.
Credit Optometry Times for Five Reasons content.
https://www.optometrytimes.com/view/5-reasons-observe-national-eye-exam-month
Facts
Although older adults tend to have more vision problems, preschoolers may not see as well as they can.
1 out of every 7 preschoolers receives an eye exam, and fewer than 1 out of every 4 receives some type of vision screening.
An estimated 11 million Americans aged 12 years and older could see better if they used corrective lenses, or have eye surgery, if appropriate.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends vision screening for all children aged 3 to 5 years to find conditions such as amblyopia, or lazy eye, which can be treated effectively if caught early.
Children should have their first eye exam at six months old and the second at age 3. If everything looks good, the next exam is at the start of 1st grade (ages 5 or 6). Eye exams can be done every two years if no vision correction is needed or yearly if your child needs glasses or contact lenses. However, your eye doctor will determine the frequency.
For adults 18-60, it’s recommended that you get a comprehensive eye exam every two years. For adults over 60, the recommendation is once a year.
9 ways you can help protect your vision
- Get regular comprehensive dilated eye exams.
- Know your family’s eye health history. It’s important to know if anyone has been diagnosed with an eye disease or condition, since some are hereditary.
- Eat right to protect your sight: In particular, eat plenty of dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, or collard greens, and fish that is high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, albacore tuna, trout, and halibut.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Wear protective eye-wear when playing sports or doing activities around the home, such as painting, yard work, and home repairs.
- Quit smoking or never start.
- Wear sunglasses that block 99 percent-100 percent of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation.
- Wash your hands before taking out your contacts and cleanse your contact lenses properly to avoid infection.
- Practice workplace eye safety.
