DEAR ABBY: I’m an ophthalmologist, a physician who specializes in medical and surgical eye care, and I’m hoping you can help me debunk a common myth about eye health. Many assume eye disease happens only to older adults. While age does increase the risk of developing certain vision-threatening diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts, younger people can also develop vision-threatening eye conditions.
This is particularly true for the nearly 40 million Americans living with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy, a complication that damages blood vessels in the retina, is now the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults in the USA. The solution is surprisingly simple — a medical eye exam — but most people aren’t getting one.
Abby, regular eye exams and timely interventions can reduce the risk of severe vision loss by more than 90%. However, only about 60% of people with diabetes receive the annual dilated eye examinations recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Ophthalmologists have more tools than ever for diagnosing and treating eye diseases.
For people worried about the cost, the Academy’s EyeCare America program may be able to help. ALL healthy adults should have a comprehensive eye exam by age 40, when early signs of cataract, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration may begin to emerge. — LAURA FINE, M.D., OPHTHALMOLOGIST AND EYECARE AMERICA VOLUNTEER
DEAR DR. FINE: I am pleased to share with my readers that EyeCare America has expanded from a seniors-only program. Readers, EyeCare America is a national public service program, and it offers no-out-of-pocket-cost medical eye exams with volunteer ophthalmologists to qualified individuals aged 18 and over. To find out if you or your loved ones are eligible, visit www.aao.org/eyecare-america/patients.