May is Ultraviolet Awareness Month

Exposure to UV rays can burn delicate eye tissue and raise the risk of developing cataracts and eye cancer. Sunglasses help. Ultraviolet Awareness The sun releases energy (radiation) in many forms. The sunlight we see is one form. The heat we feel from the sun is another. Ultraviolet (UV) rays, a third type, are also invisible to the eye. UV rays cause sunburn. They can also damage your eyes and hurt your vision. There are two types of UV rays: UV-A and UV-B. Over time, the effects of UV rays may help cause a number of eye problems. UV-A can…

Continue reading

June is Cataract Awareness Month

What is a cataract? A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. A cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other. What is the lens? The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus light, or an image, on the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back…

Continue reading

June is Cataract Awareness Month

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide. 22.4 million Americans have cataracts by age 40. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. To learn more about risk factors, prevention and treatment of cataracts, visit this page on our website.

Continue reading

Diabetic Eye Disease to Increase

Diabetes, the Leading Cause of New Cases of Blindness, Projected to Increase Diabetic Eye Disease Numbers 35 Percent in Near Future According to a recent study from Prevent Blindness, more than 8 million Americans have diabetic retinopathy,  with total cases projected to increase by 35 percent by 2032, and by 63 percent by 2050. Diabetic retinopathy patients have an average age of 66 years, the youngest of any of the major eye diseases. And individuals with diabetes are 25 times more likely to become blind than those without diabetes, according to the National Eye Institute. Diabetes is the leading cause…

Continue reading