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Question and Answer June14 large graphicI have two young children, ages 5 and 7. They have never had an eye exam before, though they also have never had any problems with their eyes or vision that I’ve noticed. Should I still bring them in for an exam?” – Ron via email

That’s a great question, Ron. The doctors at Vista Eye Care, as well as the American Optometric Association, recommend that children have their first eye exam at 6-12 months of age. This “InfantSEE” examination is important to check for early eye and vision problems that may otherwise go undetected. For example, a child’s vision may appear normal if they are farsighted, or if they have a large glasses prescription in only one eye. Furthermore, conditions such as a subtle eye turn (strabismus) or an early cataract may prevent the eyes from developing normally unless those conditions are identified early. Given how important the visual system is for learning, it is definitely best to have your child’s eyes and vision checked at an early age to be sure that the visual system is in a good position to develop normally.

I know my great grandmother lost her vision, though I don’t know how she lost it. Should I be concerned?” -Martha via email

Many eye conditions are hereditary, and you share not only your genetics with your relatives, but also your risk factors. For example, diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetes tend to run in families on a genetic basis. Knowing that you have a risk for developing a disease, you can do something about it. For example, knowing that diabetes runs in your family, you should have your eyes checked regularly, stick to an exercise program, and have an annual physical to look for systemic signs of the disease. If macular degeneration is a family trait, make sure you have your macular pigment density (MPOD) assessed each year to be sure you are not putting yourself at an unnecessary risk for this blinding eye disease. Glaucoma can be identified with regular eye care, and early diagnosis and management is the key to preventing this disease from robbing you of your sight. It is a great idea to speak with the rest of your family to determine exactly what your relatives were diagnosed with so that you can try to prevent those diseases in your own eyes.

I’m excited for Halloween! I am going as a zombie and my friend told me about contact lenses that he got at a costume store. Are they safe?” – Andrea via email

Contact lenses are medical prosthetic devices that need to be properly sized and fitted on your eyes in order to assure that they will not harm the eye. It is illegal to purchase contact lenses without a doctor’s prescription, and with good reason. Several times a year, our eye doctors see patients who wore improperly fit contact lenses and suffered eye disease because of it.  Here is more information from the FDA on why non-prescription contact lenses are bad news for eyes.  These lenses can result in painful infections, corneal scarring, and blindness. While wearing contact lenses that are properly fit is very safe, your odds of serious complications skyrocket when you use a contact lens not meant for your own eye. Vista Eye Care offers a variety of theatrical lenses for Halloween costumes, and can answer any questions you have about contact lens wear. Have fun this Halloween, but take care of your eyes!

If you would like to schedule an appointment for yourself or your family, give us a call at (303) 450-2020, or use the button below to schedule your appointment online.

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