Sponsored: The Importance of Eye Health

This post was sponsored by Think About Your Eyes as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received compensation as a thank you for my review.

I spend a lot of time thinking about my health: how to maximize the value of my workouts, and how to (try to) eat foods that are good for me and avoid the junk. However, a recent campaign brought something to my attention: I haven’t actually been thinking about all aspects of my health, and may have been rather superficial in my thinking that as long as my weight and body shape is fine, everything else is too.

Think About Your Eyes is a national public awareness campaign that promotes the benefits of eye health and encourages people to get annual eye exams. I was diagnosed with myopia (nearsightedness) when I was eight years old, and so I make it a point to visit the ophthalmologist once a year. But at least back then, I know that the only kids who went to the eye doctor ever were those who were diagnosed with a problem… and I don’t think that’s really changed. Most of my friends who are lucky enough not to wear contacts or glasses never visit an eye doctor – which is a bit of a problem.

April is Women’s Eye Health month, and it seems that women are at higher risk for eye disease than men – two-thirds of people who are either visually impaired or blind are women. Since women tend to live longer, it’s especially important for us to take good care of our eyes! My eyesight is really important to me, and I can’t imagine life without being able to snuggle up with a good book before bed. To take care of my eye health, I make it a point to check off my annual eye exam each summer, and also stay alert for small symptoms that may indicate a larger problem. (I also never sleep in my contact lenses or wear my dailies more than once – I keep a spare pair in my purse for emergencies, and always bring more than enough every week when I travel.)

As I’ve learned from my own visits to the eye doctor over the years, sometimes there are problems going on that you don’t even know about. (My experience last year with my ulnar nerve also backs this point up.) When I go for my annual visit every July, my eye doctor doesn’t just rely on me saying “it seems like I can see fine”; she runs a ton of tests to ensure that everything checks out. By getting a comprehensive annual eye exam, a doctor can detect eye problems at their early stages when they’re most treatable. Think About Your Eyes has created an eye care professional locator to ensure anyone can find an eye doctor near them. Think About Your Eyes also created the following cute infographic:

I think it’s so interesting that regular gym goers who are very conscious of their body health and fitness still neglect their eye health. 33% get enough sleep (I’m still trying to be in that group!) but don’t get an annual eye exam- not good. Just like all our other muscles, your eyes need to be taken care of as well, and regular care can help to maintain maximum performance. Plus, detecting problems with your eyes can identify other issues that you may not otherwise notice. It’s really important to make sure that we’re taking care of all aspects of our health, and an eye care professional can tell you exactly what your eyes need. Eye exams aren’t just for those who already have vision problems; they’re a great preventative measure for everyone to take.

I’m really grateful that Think About Your Eyes is bringing the importance of eye health to people’s attention, and hope this helps others to take the necessary precautions to ensure great vision for life. If you haven’t had an eye exam in years, I’d definitely encourage you to make an appointment and get your eyes checked as soon as possible.

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by the Think About Your Eyes campaign, and I received compensation for sharing the campaign on my blog. However, all words and thoughts expressed in this post are my own.