The I That Can Read For You...!

Are you amongst the growing number of Americans who is skipping
regular visits to the eye doctor due to the cost of care?

A survey by the Center for Disease Control of over 11,5000 adults over 40 shows that nearly 40% skipped opportunities for regular eye care due to lack of money or insurance coverage.  After age 65, only 23.3% blame lack of insurance for missing their annual eye exams.

Researchers were particularly concerned by the nearly 44% of senior citizens who said they had no need to visit an eye doctor.  “The large proportion of persons aged 65 and over reporting no need as their main reason for not seeking care is of concern because this population has the highest prevalence of visual impairment,” the CDC report says. “A possible reason for this is that older adults might regard impairment as a normal part of aging.”  It appears that other studies have indicated many are unaware of their eye health needs because primary care physicians pay little attention to visual health.The corneas of people with glaucoma seem to exhibit different qualities than those who do not suffer from this condition.

A study out of Paris shows that corneas affected by glaucoma are more likely to become deformed and have less elasticity than healthy corneas.  A study of almost 500 eyes with and without glaucoma showed that glaucomatous eyes were more likely to have a higher corneal resistance factor (CRF) and lower corneal hysteresis (CH) – both signs of poor corneal biomechanics.  These findings were presented at the French Society of Ophthalmology