October is World Blindness Awareness Month

Did you know that nearly 180 million people in the world suffer from blindness or visual impairment*. In observance of World Blindness Awareness Month in October, Sight & Sun Eyeworks of Pensacola wants to remind everyone that unnecessary vision loss could largely be prevented if patients had access to sight-saving information and resources. Also, October 11th is World Sight Day, a health observation that is recognized by health organizations around the globe.

In honor of World Blindness Awareness Month taking place in October, SSEW encourages everyone to become more empowered about their eye health by browsing our vast collection of eye problem & eye health self educational videos. These high quality videos cover a wide range of eye issues that can occur (symptoms and treatments), as well as plethora of information to help you learn and prevent certain issues.

According to a 2005 study by Neilson/Net Ratings, a global leader in media and market research, the internet is considered the most trusted source for health information after physicians.  As the number of Americans seeking health care information on the Internet grows, SSEW plans to match that trend by providing website visitors centralized vision care information, written in language that is clear and easy for them to understand.

Contained within our site, you will learn more about the leading causes of blindness such as cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration, learn about any one of our 12 doctors on staff and even share important health topics with family and friends through our convenient social media buttons – Facebook, Twitter, E-Mail and others.

*According to the World Health Organization.

How Vision Changes as You Age

Vision changes are common after age 40, and risk for several vision problems increases with age.

Here are a few important age-related eye problems to be aware of:

Presbyopia is the normal age-related loss of near focusing ability that affects virtually everyone after age 40. Presbyopia is not an eye disease and can easily be corrected with bifocals, progressive lenses or multifocal contacts.

Cataracts are opacities in the eye’s lens that most often occur as a result of aging, and are the most common cause of vision loss among seniors. About half of 65-year-old Americans have some degree of cataract formation. Typically, vision can be restored with cataract surgery.

Macular Degeneration (Age related macular degeneration or AMD) is a serious age-related eye disease and the leading cause of blindness among seniors. Though the cause of AMD is not completely understood, chronic inflammation and oxidative changes appear to play a role.

Glaucoma describes a number of conditions that cause vision loss because of optic nerve damage, usually due to high eye pressure. Early detection is necessary to prevent permanent vision loss.

Diabetic Retinopathy is eye damage from diabetes that can cause blindness. Among known diabetics over age 40, the National Eye Institute estimates that 40 percent have some degree of diabetic retinopathy.

Other age-related eye problems include Dry Eyes, Reduced Peripheral Vision and Decreased Color Vision.

The best way to protect your eyesight for a lifetime of good vision is to eat a healthy diet, maintain a proper weight, exercise and have routine comprehensive eye exams at least every two years or more.

To schedule an appointment to screen for these problems, click the button below or call 850.939.3459.