Updates

Things happen: appointments are forgotten, other health issues crop up, financial problems happen. But missing eye exams may be vision-threatening for patients with diabetes. Safe Vision Texas joins the American Academy of Ophthalmology in reiterating the importance of eye exams during the month of November, which is observed as Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month.

Just 10 hours after she first put in a pair of colored contact lenses that she’d bought at a souvenir shop, Laura Butler of Parkersburg, W.Va., had "extreme pain in both eyes," she said. "Because I had not been properly fitted by an eye care professional, the lenses stuck to my eye like a suction cup."

Texans encounter a lot of advertisements and information pieces about treating bags under eyes. But what do ophthalmologists, who are physicians (MDs and DOs) with the highest level of eye training, think about treating bags under eyes?

As the global population continues to expand, eye disease is becoming more and more common. By the year 2050, an estimated 895 million people worldwide may develop eye conditions, according to a report in The Lancet. That’s a 150% increase over the next 30 years.

If you're in your 20s or 30s, you probably don't spend much time thinking about eye disease or vision care. But this is exactly the time you should be acting to prevent future vision loss. Most eye problems are preventable with simple healthy habits.

It’s back to school time, and many vision educational campaigns are looking at vision issues that affect school-aged children.

Safe Vision Texas is dedicating the month of August to looking at several issues on the minds of parents and their children.

Every year, people suffer serious eye injuries from backyard fireworks displays. Most of the victims are children and bystanders located nowhere near the pyrotechnics. As Independence Day nears, Safe Vision Texas and the American Academy of Ophthalmology are working to dispel the myths that put people at risk of blindness.

If you’re like most Americans surveyed in a recent Harris Poll, you probably thought you would notice a change in your vision if you had an eye disease. The fact is some of the leading causes of blindness—such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy—can begin without any symptoms. That’s why Safe Vision Texas and the American Academy of Ophthalmology urge all healthy adults to get an eye exam at age 40, even if their vision seems fine. Early signs of disease and changes in vision may start to happen at this age.

Nearly 30,000 people suffer sports-related eye injuries every year. An astounding 90 percent of these ER visits could have been avoided if the athlete had worn protective eyewear. Even the most low intensity sports activities pose some risk for eye injuries. From basketball to racquetball, from youth leagues to the pros, players need to protect their eyes. As kids begin to resume their favorite sports, Safe Vision Texas and the American Academy of Ophthalmology are reminding the public that the best defense against potentially blinding sports-related injuries is wearing protective eyewear.

Americans are spending more time than ever staring at screens. In honor of March’s designation as Workplace Eye Wellness Month, Safe Vision Texas and the American Academy of Ophthalmology are sharing tips on how to create a comfortable work environment at home and in the office to avoid digital eye strain.