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Save Your Vision Week

By: Joanne | March 03, 2009 | Category: Health

eye chart and eye glasses I know that good vision is something I take for granted, but it really is a precious gift. This week is Save Your Vision Week, a time to think about what you need to do to protect your vision.

I recently had my annual eye exam along with a glaucoma test. I always have a glaucoma test because my dad had glaucoma, so I’m thought to be at a higher risk. The bad thing about glaucoma is that it makes you blind – the good news is that there are medications that can stall its progression, so the sooner you catch it the better.

For the test, the doctor used drops to dilate my eyes, which made everything look blurry for the rest of the afternoon. The tricky thing was that I needed to get back to work and when I sat down, I realized that I couldn’t see the words on my computer screen. “Hmmmm,” I thought to myself, “now I’m in the shoes of our visitors with low vision.” At USA.gov we’ve got tools that allow our visitors to change the font size and once I made it bigger I was able to see the site. I was also able to use my browser tools to enlarge the text on other websites. I’m glad that these kinds of tricks and tools are available and that we design so that people with low or no vision can access the site. My temporary disability reinforced the importance of doing that.

So remember that conditions like macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, and glaucoma can creep up on you and regular eye exams will help to protect your vision. Other advice is to eat a healthy diet, wear sunglasses with UV (ultraviolet) protection, and use protective eyewear when your eyes are at risk for injury.