The world is a beautiful place. When I travel I want to take it all in; the sights, the sounds, the taste of local foods, the textures, the smells. Yet, what if one of my senses was missing? How would it impact my experience? Is there one sense that would impact me more than others? That question is a personal one for sure. Despite the personal nature of that question, Americans are 
overwhelmingly fearful of losing their sight. A 2016 poll by Research!America showed that 88% of respondents felt vision was vital to overall good health. Forty-seven percent said that if they lost their sight, it would have the most negative impact on their day to day lives.
This is not an unreasonable fear. We’re only given one set of eyes to last our entire lives. Think about how much we those eyes on a daily basis. You wake up, check your phone, send an email, make breakfast, drive to work, use work computer at work, order lunch, sit in on a meeting, drive home, make dinner, play with the kids, watch tv… the list goes on and on. Of course, it is possible to live a full life without vision, but it is not without its challenges.
Despite these fears, many still take their sight for granted. Regular eye examinations are not scheduled. Parents unknowingly rely on screenings as the most effective assessment of vision. However, screenings can miss signs and symptoms that are vital to good vision and academic performance. Individuals go outside without wearing sunglasses exposing their eyes to harmful ultraviolet light. Contact lenses are over worn and not properly taken care of increasing the risk of sight threatening infections. Safe and quality eyewear is sacrificed for a temporary quick savings fix.
This series of posts is going to focus on helping you achieve your maximum visual potential and ensure healthy vision for life. Join us on our next post as we discuss the importance of regular eye exams. See you soon in Part 2!