GetSmart: Eye Smart!

H. Dunbar Hoskins, Jr. MD FACS, Executive Vice President of the American Academy of Opthalmology (AAO), was kind enough to spend some time with me today talking about Eye Health. AAO has two important programs Dr. Hoskins wants Healthline readers to know about:

• EyeSmart Campaign:
• 2020 means perfect vision to most of us, but did you know it is also the year that 43 million Americans face significant vision loss or blindness as Baby Boomers become seniors?
• AAO wants to get the word out: age 40 is when we should all start getting checked for
  
• glaucoma : did you know that 50% of people with glaucoma don't know they have it?
  
• cataracts
  
• dry eye
• macular degeneration
• diabetic retinopathy: diabetics should all be getting their eyes checked annually as part of their HEDIS evaluation but they aren't. AAO wants to urge all diabetics to get their eyes checked every year!

• EyeCare America:
• is a Foundation of the AAO whose mission is to preserve sight by promoting access to care. Dr. Hoskins says that Medicare does a good job of covering opthalmologic illnesses, but if we really want to urge early screening at age 40, a lot of people at risk do not have coverage. EyeCare America has Volunteer doctors, sorted by zip code, who have agreed to provide free eye care to people in need! Visit their website or call 1-800-222-3937 for seniors, 1-800-626-6733 for children.
• August is Cataract Awareness Month and AAO is encouraging seniors with low vision to take advantage of this program and get a referral to an eye specialist. Maybe you or your loved ones don't need a new pair of glasses! Maybe you need an eye specialist! Studies are showing that sharp vision helps keep the mind sharp, too. Don't lose sight of what's important to you...65 is getting younger and younger as people live, work and love longer.
  

Thanks so much to Dr. Hoskins and all of the wonderful folks at American Academy of Opthalmology for their time and contributions to Eye Health in the US!

Thank you natala007 for use of retinal photo 2.

Labels: Dr. Hoskins, eyes, glaucoma, opthalmologist

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