The College of Optometry is conducting vision screenings today and Tuesday to correspond with Save Your Vision Month.
Screenings will be at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center tonday from 9 a.m. to 12p.m. Tuesday’s screenings will be conducted at UH-Downtown. The screenings are free and open to the public.
Save Your Vision Month serves as a reminder for people to visit their eye doctor to find out if their eyesight has worsened, according to the American Optometric Association Vision problems can sometimes be signs of other, more serious health risks, including heart disease, according to a study published in the Harvard Heart Letter.
Screenings can also help detect cataracts, which are protein deposits on the eye that can reduce vision clarity.
Other diseases that can be found during an eye exam are glaucoma and macular degeneration, which can cause blindness. Glaucoma is when the internal eye pressure raises high enough to damage optic nerve fibers. Macular degeneration is caused when the macula, a part of the retina, changes gradually and it can worsen vision over time.
The American Optometric Association suggests regular eye exams annually to prevent or help treat vision and eye problems.
