[nfbwatlk] Fw: eyesight ranked higher than money and sex

[Mike Freeman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Elizabeth Lalonde" <elalonde at shaw.ca>
To: <list at cfb.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 8:07 AM
Subject: eyesight ranked higher than money and sex


Yikes, this article shows just how the public feels about blindness, and why
public education about the abilities of blind people is essential.

--
Canadians rank eyesight ahead of money, sex and power

By Alyssa Schwartz
Canada.com, October 12, 2006

Setting our sights on good vision

Would you give up your eyesight for a date with Brad Pitt? What about
accepting a cheque for $25 million dollars if it meant trading in your
vision in return?

If you're like most Canadians, the answer is not a chance.

While money, power and sex are generally among the things people most covet,
in a recent Ipsos-Reid survey of 1,121 adult Canadians, 70% of respondents
said they wouldn't give up their vision for anything - not winning the
lottery, not for a lifetime of great sex, not even to become prime minister.
The survey was conducted for the Canadian Association of Optometrists for
World Sight Day on October 12th.

As for whether life as we already know it would be worth living in the dark,
Canadians don't seem to see the point. Virtually all of those who responded
said they wouldn't want to live to 100 if it meant giving up their eyesight
in return (even if they were otherwise healthy), and more than half of those
polled would be willing to give up another physical ability to regain their
eyesight if they ever went blind.

But when it comes to doing our best to take care of our eyesight, we seem to
be a little, er, shortsighted. Nearly one third of those polled said they
were unlikely to get an eye exam anytime soon, despite the fact that 81%
acknowledged that the best way to prevent long-term vision problems is
through early detection.

"Though Canadians consider their eyesight to be of the utmost importancw,
they just don't seem to follow that through with visits to their
optometrist," said Dr. Lillian Linton, chair of the Canadian Association of
Optometrists' public education committee, in a press release.

"Even though Canadians recognize that 20/20 vision does not equal perfect
eye health, they still need to make the connection that prevention is the
only way to ensure healthy eyes and vision throughout your life," Linton
said.

So what can you do to keep your eyes healthy -- aside from eating carrots,
that is?

For starters, get your eyes checked regularly. For school-age children and
adults over the age of 65, that means annually, while healthy adults
generally only need to have their eyes examined every two years. If you have
diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of glaucoma or other risk
factors for eye problems, your doctor may advise more frequent eye checkups
- so make sure you stick to the prescribed schedule. Schedule an appointment
sooner if you experience eye infections or irritation, blurred vision, eye
pain or any other unusual symptoms.

Aside from seeing your doctor, it's important to take the same steps you
take to prevent other diseases to reduce your risk of vision loss. Because
diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure can raise your risk of
vision loss, make sure you maintain a healthy body weight and exercise.
Wearing sunglasses when you go outside and protective eye gear when playing
sports or working with hazardous materials can also help keep your eyes on
the prize of good vision.

As for those carrots, they may have an undeserved reputation when it comes
to eye health. Yes, carrots contain vitamin A - a vitamin necessary for good
vision. But vitamin A can also be found in milk, cheese, egg yolks, some
fruits and vegetables and other foods, and most people get enough from other
dietary sources to have to rely on carrots for the vision perks alone.


http://www.canada.com/topics/bodyandhealth/story.html?id=720fe081-2019-495f-
b2fb-ed0dfae9487e&k=74115


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