Healthy Vision Month

Healthy Vision Month is a powerful reminder of how precious your sight is and the need to take care of it. Your eyes are a powerful sense that helps you see the world, enjoy its beauty, and get through each day. However, we often don’t realise how important our eyesight is until it starts degrading due to age or any external factors. 

We’ll explore common vision problems many people face, share simple tips to keep your eyes healthy, and explain why considering health insurance planning is wise.

What is Healthy Vision Month, and Why is it Celebrated?

National Eye Institute a part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) declared May as the  Healthy Vision Month in 2003. This annual campaign is dedicated to promoting eye health, preventing vision loss, and raising awareness about the importance of protecting our eyesight.

The Undervalued Treasure: Why Healthy Vision Matters

Your vision is more than just seeing; it plays a big role in how you enjoy life every day. Think about the little moments like reading a good book, watching a child play, seeing a friend’s smile, or enjoying a beautiful sunset. These simple joys become meaningful because of your sight. Taking care of your eyes helps you keep enjoying these moments.

Beyond personal enjoyment, healthy vision is essential for:

• Learning and Development: A significant portion of learning relies on visual input. Undetected vision problems can affect academic progress and overall development.
• Work and Productivity: Many professions demand sharp visual clarity. Impaired vision can affect job performance, safety, and career opportunities.
• Safety and Independence: Clear vision is crucial for exploring your environment safely, whether driving, walking, or performing everyday tasks. Vision problems can increase the risk of accidents and dependence on others.
• Mental and Emotional Well-being: Vision loss can lead to feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression. Maintaining healthy vision contributes to a sense of independence and overall well-being.

Seeing the Issues: Everyday Eye Problems

Vision problems can range from simple issues like nearsightedness and farsightedness to serious eye diseases that can affect your daily life. Understanding these conditions can help you protect your eyesight.

Learning about eye issues helps you make wise choices to keep your vision clear and strong for years. Some of them include:

• Refractive Errors: These are the most common vision problems, occurring when the shape of the eye prevents light from focusing correctly on the retina. For instance: 

  Myopia (Nearsightedness): Difficulty seeing distant objects.

  Hyperopia (Farsightedness): Difficulty seeing close objects.

  Astigmatism: Blurred vision at all distances due to an irregularly shaped cornea.

• Presbyopia: Age-related loss of close-up focusing ability, typically starting in the 40s.
• Cataracts: Clouding of the natural lens of the eye, leading to blurred or hazy vision. Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness worldwide, but are often treatable with surgery.
• Glaucoma: A group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, often due to increased pressure inside the eye. Glaucoma can lead to irreversible vision loss and blindness if left untreated.
• Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD): A condition that affects the central part of the retina (macula), leading to blurry or distorted central vision. AMD is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults.

Preventative Measures and Healthy Habits

Some eye problems happen because of age or family history, but healthy habits can lower the risk and keep your eyes strong. Here are some simple steps that can make a big difference:

Protecting Your Eyes from the Sun

Being in the sun too much can harm your eyes. It can lead to problems like cataracts and vision loss. To protect your eyes, wear sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays every time you go outside, even when it’s cloudy. This simple step can help keep your eyes healthy for a long time.

Regular Eye Examinations

Regular eye check-ups are a key part of keeping your eyes healthy. An eye doctor can find vision problems or eye diseases early, even before you notice any signs. However, the frequency of eye tests depends on your age, health, and risk factors. But in general, adults should get their eyes checked every one to two years. These exams can help catch problems early and protect your vision. With the right health insurance plans for family, these check-ups can be covered and made more accessible.

Maintaining a Healthy Diet

Eating healthy foods is good for your eyes. Fruits, vegetables, especially leafy greens like spinach and kale, and fish like salmon and tuna can help keep your eyes strong. These foods have special nutrients like omega-3 and antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin. These can help protect your eyes from problems like macular degeneration, which can affect your vision as you get older. A healthy diet helps keep your eyes in good shape.

Practising Good Computer Habits

Looking at screens for a long time can make your eyes feel tired, dry, or blurry. To help your eyes, try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This gives your eyes a break. 

Embracing Healthy Vision Month and Beyond

Healthy Vision Month serves as an important annual reminder, but the commitment to eye health should extend far beyond May. By understanding the importance of vision, recognising potential threats, adopting preventative measures, and partnering with supportive healthcare providers, you can all take proactive steps to safeguard our sight.

We at Niva Bupa provide you with various insurance plans at affordable premiums. We cover benefits like hospitalisation expenses, such as prescription drugs, diagnostic tests, surgeries, and treatments. This coverage helps you reduce your financial burden and also enables you to focus on your recovery.  

FAQs

1. Is it normal for vision to fluctuate during the day?

   Minor fluctuations can occur due to fatigue, dehydration, or blood sugar levels. However, persistent or drastic changes should be checked by an eye specialist.

2. Does blinking less while using screens harm your eyes?

   Absolutely. People blink up to 50% less when staring at screens, which leads to dry eyes and discomfort. Frequent, conscious blinking keeps your eyes moist and healthy.

3. Does health insurance cover eye care?

   Some health insurance plans in India, including those for families, offer coverage for eye check-ups, surgeries, or related treatments. Always check the policy details.

4. Can poor nutrition affect my vision?

   Nutrient deficiencies like vitamin A, omega-3, and lutein can increase the risk of vision issues like dry eye and macular degeneration.

5. How early should children get their eyes tested?

   Children should have their first comprehensive eye exam by age 3. Early detection helps prevent learning and developmental issues linked to poor vision.