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Calgary Herald

Beyond 20/20: Alberta optometrist urges regular eye exams for overall health

May marks Vision Health Month, and one Calgary-area optometrist is on a mission to remind Albertans that protecting their vision means looking beyond just how clearly you can see. Article content Article content 'Vision is often overlooked,' said Dr. Cristy Franco, lead optometrist of the neuro-rehabilitative and pediatric Vision Therapy Clinic at Airdrie Family Eye Doctors. Article content 'We don't think about it.' Article content Article content Speaking at an event hosted by the Alberta Association of Optometrists at Major Tom on Tuesday, Franco emphasized that eye exams play a critical role in not only vision care, but overall health. Many serious eye conditions can develop with no symptoms until it's too late, she said. Article content Article content Routine eye exams are about much more than having perfect vision, Franco said. Article content 'You might be able to see 20/20, but something might be happening inside your eye that you don't know,' she explained. 'But if we can treat it and catch it early enough, then up to 80 per cent of those conditions are preventable and treatable. Article content 'One in seven Canadians will experience a serious eye health issue in their lifetime,' she said, yet many people delay or skip regular checkups. Article content 'A routine eye exam is about part of your regular eye health, but also a part of your regular overall health,' she added. Article content Debunking common myths Article content Article content According to Franco, perfect vision does not mean perfect eye health. Article content 'There's a lot of things that are happening that have no signs or symptoms until it's far too late. And at that point, we have a much harder time treating it,' she said. Article content She warned that some conditions develop quietly with no warning signs, and emphasized the importance of early detection made possible through routine exams to prevent and treat conditions. Article content 'Getting in early preventative care, that's the number one thing that we can do,' she said. Article content Franco warned that many children might have vision issues that go undetected because they don't know anything else. Article content 'A child has never seen in another way, this is how their vision has always been,' she said. 'They don't know what to compare it to.' Article content She noted that one in four school-aged children suffers from a vision issue, which can have broader impacts on a child's learning and development. Regular eye exams are key to catching these problems, she said.