ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — May is Healthy Vision Month, and eye care professionals are encouraging people to take preventive steps to protect their sight and detect disease early.
Many serious eye conditions, including glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease, can develop gradually with few or no early symptoms. Health experts say that by the time vision changes are noticeable, permanent damage may already have occurred.
Routine comprehensive eye exams are considered one of the most effective tools for early detection. Eye doctors say these exams can identify disease before symptoms begin, when treatment is often most effective.
Experts recommend several habits to help protect long-term vision. Those include scheduling regular eye exams even when vision appears normal, wearing sunglasses that block 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays, and managing chronic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which can all affect eye health…