They Say Your Eyes Are The Windows to Your Soul

When it comes to taking care of ourselves, we often think about going to our primary care doctor for an annual physical. Sometimes we think about going to the dentist for an exam and a cleaning. How often do we think about getting our eyes checked? Probably not often enough, but they’re just as important to our health.

Make Your Eyes a Priority

During Healthy Vision Month, we encourage all participants to take care of your eyes. Here are some tips:

• Get a comprehensive dilated eye exam. During the exam, an eye care professional will use drops to widen your pupils to check for common vision problems and eye diseases. It’s the best way to find out if you need glasses or contacts, or are in the early stages of any eye-related diseases.
• Live a healthy lifestyle, including eating healthy foods, maintaining a healthy weight, managing chronic conditions, and not smoking.
• Know your family history. If older relatives have glaucoma or cataracts, you may be prone to the diseases, which makes early detection key to managing the conditions.
• Use protective eyewear when playing sports or doing activities around the home, including painting, yard work or home repair.
• Wear sunglasses that block 99% to 100% of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation.
• Wash your hands before taking out your contacts and clean your contact lenses properly to avoid infection.
• Practice workplace eye safety. Wear protective goggles or safety glasses while on the job.

Taking these basic steps can help prevent vision loss or blindness from many eye diseases and conditions. In addition, comprehensive dilated eye exams can detect problems early, when they’re easier to treat—just like getting an annual physical exam

Want More Healthy Vision Tips?

Go to the Vision Health Initiative page on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Learn More About Your Vision Coverage

The Fund provides benefits for one eye exam and lens(es) per calendar year. The Plan’s fee schedule is as follows:

• Eye exam ($20)
• Lenses ($50)

The Fund has an arrangement with three vision care networks; General Vision Services (“GVS”), Comprehensive Professional Systems (CPS) and Vision Screening that have agreed to accept the Fund’s fee schedule for the selected eye care as payment in full. There is no out-of-pocket expense provided the lenses and frames you select are within the variety of lenses and frames offered under the Fund.