March is Save Your Vision Month By Dr. S. Moshe Roth Take a moment and consider what your life would be like it you couldn't see. Not a pleasant thought, is it?We often take our vision for granted. Most people have heard of the sightstealing eye diseases glaucoma and macular degeneration.The damage that these diseases cause occurs gradually.By the time you are aware of any changes in your sight, it may be too late to save your vision. Scheduling a yearly eye exam could make all the difference. The eye examination provides your optometric physician with valuable information, not only about the health of your eyes, but also about your overall health. In some cases, diseases that affect the whole body, like diabetes and hypertension, can be detected with an eye exam. In the case of glaucoma, vision damage and blindness may occur without ever experiencing any symptoms. A special digital camera, the Optomap, can take a picture of the retina, the back part of your eye.The pictures can then be compared from year to year, and then even the smallest of changes can be detected quickly.This instrument is not only for adults, but is also childfriendly. It was actually developed by a father of a 5-year-old boy who went blind in one eye after a retinal detachment was found too late. How often should you have an eye exam? Infants should have their first exam when they are 6 months old. Starting at childhood, everyone should have an eye examination every year. Children can have vision problems that affect schoolwork and may never be aware of it.A vision screening with the school nurse or the pediatrician is not an eye examination. Eye diseases can occur in adults without warning.A yearly eye exam can find and treat problems early before they become worse. Not all eye doctors are comfortable examining infants.To encourage parents to bring their infants in for their first eye exam, the American Optometric Association has teamed up with Johnson & Johnson to offer free eye exams for infants 6-12 months of age.To find a participating doctor, visit www.infantsee.org. Children often don't complain when they have trouble seeing. Parents need to be alert to various behavioral signs that their child has difficulty.Attention problems,homework assignments that don't make it home, avoiding reading, tracking problems, difficulty with sports and learning problems are all signs that there may be a hidden vision problem. For a more in-depth checklist and information about the critical link between vision and learning, visit www.njeyesite. com. Dr. S.Moshe Roth, optometric physician, practices at Family Eye Care in Old Bridge.Dr. Roth's license number is 4635 and his Therapeutic Certificate is TO 413. For more information, call (732) 679-2020.