Preventative Eye Care

Preventive eye care is the first line of defense against vision problems. Early detection of vision problems may offer more effective treatment options. Dr. Patrick Albergo and Dr. Duane Austin recommend the following:

• Have a periodic eye exams (every 1-2 years for healthy patients under 50, yearly for patients over 50 or those with known health risk factors, including family heredity factors).
• Know your family's history for any eye problems such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes and macular degeneration.
• Protect your eyes and be sure to wear durable eye protection when involved in activities that could cause injury to your eyes such as some sports, playing paintball or cleaning with household chemicals. Also, occupations where hammering, cutting, sawing, drilling, or working overhead are part of your job.
• Avoid hazards such as fireworks.
• Quit smoking or better still, never start. Smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of your body. Research has linked smoking to an increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, cataracts both can lead to blindness.
• Wear your sunglasses! Not only are they a great fashion accessory, but more importantly sunglasses protect your eyes from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays. When selecting your new pair of sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B radiation.