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Save Your Vision" Month Underscores Importance of Good Eye Health - One of the Most 'Overlooked' Healthcare Categories for Infants, Adults;CompBenefitsdirect.com Features Vision Articles on Continuity of Care, Nutrition and Other Eye Health-related Issues


Atlanta, GA, March 27, 2006 - From infants to adults, the value of maintaining good eye health, including continuity of care and proper nutrition, is often overlooked by families and individuals in the midst of other healthcare priorities, according to Dr. Howard Braverman, past president of the American Optometric Association and currently with CompBenefits Corporation (www.compbenefits.com) in Atlanta, Georgia.

According to Dr. Braverman, "By age 40, people begin to experience a visual loss in the ability to read due to the aging process. Most adults at this stage of life not only need eye health exams but also, in many cases, eyeglasses or contact lenses to perform well in their job functions."

While computers in the workplace have caused a syndrome called "computer vision syndrome" (CVS) that can be relieved through proper eye health examinations, Dr. Braverman points to other diseases that can be discovered through regular, preventative vision exams.

Says Dr. Braverman, "It's important to see a doctor in a professional practice setting because that is where the greatest continuity of care occurs. A doctor who is familiar with your eye health can look for ocular and systemic diseases, such as high blood pressure and signs of diabetes. He or she can also detect glaucoma and macrodegeneration because of the vision history that is established through these office visits."

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 64 percent of the workforce older than 17 needs some form of visual correction. In addition to the workforce, there are approximately 160 million Americans who need eyeglasses or contact lenses yet fewer than 93 million receive regular vision health care.

Says Dr. Braverman, "Your vision is one of the most precious things you have, and it is important do to everything to protect that vision. Every individual should not only have an eye exam for eyewear but also for eye health."

One of the earliest, recommended stages for eye exams is infancy, according to Dr. Braverman, where early eye health exams have proven to aid children in their growth and development. "If an infant or young person cannot see, he or she cannot learn and, therefore, is hindered in growth which can impact that young child's future significantly," says Dr. Braverman.

The American Optometric Association (AOA) encourages parents to include a trip to the optometrist in the list of well-baby check-ups, and has launched a one-year-old public health program called InfantSEETM whereby AOA member optometrists provide -- at no cost to the public -- a comprehensive infant eye assessment within the first year of life.

According to Dr. Braverman, "Seven thousand doctors have signed up to give one free eye assessment for the first year of life, and many of these AOA members participate in CompBenefits' VisionCare Plan."

The VisionCare Plan offered by CompBenefits Corporation is one of the nation's largest eyecare networks and fills the coverage gap left by many health insurance plans that exclude eye exams and corrective lenses and frames. For additional articles on proper eye health, including such topics as: "Vision and Nutrition" and "Vision in Children," visit the website: www.compbenefitsdirect.com.

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