September 2006

Summer is over and the kids are back in school. Remember to schedule that back to school physical. We are happy to accommodate your needs. Please remember to bring the school forms with you. Check to see if your school allows the physical to be honored for two years. If so, tell your provider so the dates are correct.

One important item must be added to the back-to-school checklist: a vision screening or an eye exam. Problems with vision can have a profoundly negative impact on a child's learning ability. A vision screening or eye exam may be the only way to detect a lifelong, vision-threatening condition known as amblyopia.

According to the National Eye Institute, amblyopia is the most common cause of visual impairment in childhood. Amblyopia occurs when the brain and the eye are not working together effectively. As the brain develops and receives diminished images from the affected eye, it begins to suppress those images and favor the unaffected eye. If this condition persists, the weaker eye may become useless.

"The most frightening aspect of amblyopia is that your child may have it and not even know it," said Daniel D. Garrett, senior vice president of Prevent Blindness America. "The child grows up believing that how he or she sees is how everyone else sees."

In an effort to help save children’s vision, Prevent Blindness America has declared August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month and has developed two unique resources to help parents and children learn about, and effectively manage, amblyopia.

The Children and Eye Problems Web Discussion Forum allows parents the opportunity to discuss all subjects related to amblyopia, (among other eye conditions), with other parents online. Topics range from general information on the condition and its treatment, to shared experiences and emotional support. The online community has grown to be the most active forum on Prevent Blindness America’s Web site with more than 500 active members.

The Eye Patch Club is a program geared towards children with amblyopia and their families. Wearing a patch over the unaffected eye for extended periods of time is a common form of treatment, but not one that is generally met with enthusiasm from kids. The Eye Patch Club program is designed to encourage the children to wear their patches as prescribed by their doctor. Among other materials, members of the club receive their own special calendar and stickers.

The stickers are placed on the calendar for each day the child wears his or her patch. Once the calendar is complete, the child may send it into Prevent Blindness America to receive a special prize. The Eye Patch Club kit may be purchased for $12.95. Proceeds will go to Prevent Blindness America’s sight-saving programs, including free vision screenings.

"We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have your children's vision checked early on," added Garrett. "When detected early, treatment of amblyopia can be highly successful!"

For more information on amblyopia and other children's vision issues, or to sign up for The Eye Patch Club, call 1-800-331-2020

Baby Boomers Turn 60 in 2006: Redefining America and Aging

The first baby boomers will turn 60 in 2006 and new health initiatives are rapidly being developed to satisfy their quest for information. Boomers, defined as those born between 1946 and 1964, represent the largest demographic group in the U.S. at over 77 million strong, or about 27 percent of the population, according to the US Census Bureau. New programs to satisfy the boomers desire to push back the hands of time are being launched, in every category and every level from new travel packages, housing concepts, and fitness facilities to government, state and local level public service programs.

For more information visit the Healthy Aging Web site at www.healthyaging.net