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from injuries due to falls. Poor vision accounts for 18 percent of broken hips.
So, why don't more people get regular eye exams? For one thing, eye exams in the United States are
not covered by public nor by many private health insurers. Even the new U.S. health care law has yet to
include basic eye exams and rehabilitation services for vision loss, though advocates are pushing hard for
this coverage in regulations now being prepared.
But even those who have insurance or can pay out of pocket are often reluctant to go for regular eye
exams. Fear and depression are common impediments for those at risk of vision loss. Patients worry that
they could become totally blind and unable to go partying, read or drive a car, he said.
[A] many people fail to realize that early detection can result[] vision-preserving therapy.
Those at risk include people with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or cardiovascular disease,
as well as anyone who has been a smoker or has a family history of an eye disorder like macular
degeneration, diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma.
The eyes are truly a window to the body, and a proper eye exam can often alert physicians to a
serious underlying disease like diabetes, multiple sclerosis or even a brain tumor.
Mr. Lovett recommends that all children have "a professional eye exam" before they start elementary
school. "Being able to read the eye chart, which tests distance vision, is not enough, since most learning
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