Healthy Vision Month takes place in May. These few weeks serve as a time to get the word out about caring for your eye health and preventing serious vision problems in the future. Although May is an honorary month for eye care, it’s important to practice healthy habits year-round.
During Healthy Vision Month, you are reminded to schedule routine eye exams. You should also practice proper care for eyewear and contact lenses, protect your eyes from disease, and more.
It’s also a time to spread awareness about common eye conditions. These include glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. Each can have a serious impact on your vision.
May is a great time of year to review all the reasons taking care of your vision is so important. You’ll be preparing for the summer months. That involves more sunshine, more time outdoors, and, for some, more time spent on a computer. (There are opportunities to protect your eyes during each of these activities!)
Check out a little of the history behind Healthy Vision Month and how you can honor it.
The National Eye Institute established May as Healthy Vision Month in 2003. It’s an occasion designed to spread awareness about vision problems, eye disease, and how to protect yourself from both. Healthy Vision Month has taken place every May since.
During the month of May, children and adults are encouraged to schedule their next comprehensive eye exam and to reflect on the status of their vision health. A comprehensive eye exam is the only way to detect eye disease or the potential risk of one developing, because many symptoms aren’t noticeable in the beginning stages of some conditions.
Each year, the National Eye Institute and several other organizations set out to remind the public about the risks associated with skipping regular eye exams, as well as other ways they can maintain healthy vision.
Your eye health is crucial, no matter your age or background. Take note of the following tips and recommendations to keep your vision in its best shape:
(Consider these tips before, during, and after Healthy Vision Month!)
You, too, can get the message out about Healthy Vision Month to encourage your community, friends, and family to take care of their vision! Here are a few ways we recommend doing so:
What you know or have learned about maintaining great vision may be new to someone you know. By spreading awareness, you can help someone get the eye care they may not have known they needed.