Well, how much do you know about your eyes? I mean really know about them? I will try to give you a broad overview without boring you to death. It may save you, or a family member from going blind. Literally! Your eyes are more than just the window to your soul. They are windows to your body’s health.
To start, can you see well? If yes, no need to go to the eye doctor, right? Wrong!!
Your children for example. They seem to see well, but out of both eyes? They may be 20/20 out of one eye and be amblyopic (weak/Lazy eye) out of the other and you wouldn’t even know it. Children don’t check their eyes individually. If they have not complained, have you checked them? Probably not, because they seem to be seeing pretty well (makes sense). Not so fast!! If you don’t catch this weak eye early, by age 7 or 8, they will be visually handicapped out of that eye for the rest of their life. Patches and diligent therapy are the only treatments along with glasses that will improve a weak eye. After age eight or so the lazy eye is pretty much done improving and the vision will lock in forever, it’s a brain thing. That might possibly change their life and career path. Many important jobs and careers need both eyes seeing 20/20. Hmmm!
Myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, irregular astigmatism, presbyopia are different refractive states. Let’s say you are one of these unfortunate kids that grew up seeing out of one eye and the other is weak, or you had an injury to one of your eyes early in life. You now depend heavily on only one eye. Now steps in vanity, you have a high prescription with one or more refractive states and you hate glasses. So of course, you want contacts. Your whole life, job, and being depends on your one good eye. ☹ You should take steps to protect it. Glasses have two functions. They help correct your vision and they protect your eyes from dangerous flying objects and debris.
With one well-functioning eye, you are playing Russian Roulette everyday with your entire visual life. Lose the good eye and you are permanently disabled!!
The most proactive thing you can do to protect your self is wear a pair of unbreakable lenses in a frame over your contacts for protection or sunglasses. You will still look cute!!
The second, and I mean the second, you have an accident involving your good eye you will curse yourself forever, because you will be forever cursed. Dumb accidents happen all the time.  This is all common-sense stuff.
So again, protection, protection leads to safety glasses. If you work with power tools or outside equipment. High-speed projectiles of any kind can embed into the cornea and penetrate your eye entering the inside of your eye (intraocular foreign body). Not good!! This can lead to blindness or loss of the eye. It can happen in a split second. Metal impact on metal (even a hammer on nail) is very dangerous. Other examples would be high-speed particles from a lathe or grinders. Metal in any form must be removed from the eye with an in-office procedure or in severe cases a surgery center with a retinal surgeon. Be careful!!! Always wear safety glasses.
Written by Dr. James Wilson, an optometrist at Bond Eye Associates. He is accepting new patients in both of their locations: Peoria and Pekin, IL. Please call Bond Eye Associates to schedule your yearly health vision exam with confidence knowing that they have been a trusted, locally owned, medical practice for over 40 years at 309-692-2020 or click here.
