I remember holding my Grandma’s hand when we came up the steps into our house. I remember my mom labelling the stove and clocks and things in large, dark letters when my Grandma was staying with us and we were going to be away for a bit. I remember her seeing us, but not really seeing us.
My grandmother lost her sight late in life due to diabetes and I was always aware of it in a that-can’t-happen-to-me sort of way. But it could. And I have to say – I think I would be pathetic at adapting to something like that. So I’m interrupting our regularly-scheduled programming (oh, who am I kidding? My posting is anything but regular these days) to talk about eye health.
Why? Because it matters. Every 12 minutes another Canadian begins to lose their sight. A new study by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) shows that the incidence of eye injuries in Canada is extremely high, with an estimated 720,000 Canadians having sustained an eye injury in the last year that required medical attention.
Vision loss due to eye injury can be prevented, so please take a moment to read this. I am willing to come and hold your hand to help guide you if needed, but I’d really rather not have to.
Here are CNIB’s tips for protecting yourself against eye injury:
- Wear protective eye wear or safety goggles when doing housework or yard-work (safety glasses that double as sunglasses are best).
- When uncorking sparkling wine or champagne, point the bottle away from you.
- For occupations like welding or laboratory work, ensure you follow eye safety protocols and use your safety glasses consistently.
And here are some tips for keeping eyes healthy – both yours and your family’s:
- Get your eyes examined. Infants should have a first eye exam between six and nine months of age. Children two to five should have one eye exam during that period, with annual exams following until age 19 (at which point exams can be every two years or so).
- Many serious eye diseases have no symptoms, so eye exams are the only way to make sure your eyes are healthy.
- Quit smoking, get healthy. Good nutrition and exercise both help prevent certain eye diseases (another thing to add to your list of motivators).
- Prevent diabetes or manage it if you have it. (Please!)
When I was young and naive I knew a guy who was training to be a pilot. He wore his sunglasses religiously, and I sort of thought it was a bit silly. But now I get it. (And now that I work with pilots I’m glad to see them all doing the same.)
During May’s Vision Health Month, Canadians from coast to coast are participating in CNIB’s Shades of Fun campaign by wearing their favourite sunglasses to protect their eyes from UV rays and raising funds to support CNIB’s vital programs and services. To learn more or get involved, visit shadesoffun.ca.
Motivated to learn more? Visit eyesareforlife.ca to learn more about protecting your eye health and your family’s vision.
