Top Ten Cities for Healthy Eyes

Regular eye exams can detect vision problems as well as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other serious health issues

News provided by

Clearview Eye & Laser Medical Center

Dec 17, 2014, 10:25 ET

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Did you have your eyes examined this year? If you live in Boise, Idaho, chances are you did. For the second year in a row, Boise is the top state in terms of eye health, according to a recent report released by the nation's largest vision benefits provider. The rankings were based on the number of residents in each city who received regular eye exams.

"Many people don't realize that their eyes are a great indicator of their overall health," says Sandy T. Feldman MD, a San Diego-based physician and one of the nation's most respected ophthalmologists. "That's why eye exams are so important. They can identify far more than just vision problems."

Eye doctors are often the first to detect signs of serious health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Many chronic conditions have no symptoms and may go unnoticed by patients and their primary care physicians.

According to VSP Vision Care, the nation's top eye-healthy cities for 2014 are:

Boise, Idaho
Reno, Nevada
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Huntsville, Alabama
Des Moines, Iowa
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Birmingham, Alabama
Little Rock, Arkansas
Denver, Colorado
Evansville, Indiana

For people under 40, a full exam every five to ten years is recommended, or annually for those who wear glasses or contacts. After age 40, every two years is a good rule of thumb. People with a family history of eye disease, previous eye surgeries or injuries, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or who are over 65 should have more frequent exams.

"Even if you think your vision is fine, you should have your eyes examined on a regular basis, particularly if you are over 40," says Dr. Feldman. "Eye exams for children are also important. Kids with undetected vision problems don't know what 'normal' vision looks like, and may not complain if they have difficulty seeing."

About Sandy T. Feldman, MD
Sandy T. Feldman, MD is the Medical Director of Clearview Eye & Laser Medical Center— voted best LASIK center in San Diego by CityBeat Magazine in 2013—and has successfully performed more than 20,000 refractive procedures. Her numerous awards include "Top Doc San Diego" and the Goldline Award, an honor granted to only 10 laser eye care providers in the U.S. each year, and she has been profiled in Forbes, Newsweek, and other respected publications. Dr. Feldman is a fellow of the prestigious American College of Ophthalmic Surgeons, as well as a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. For more information, please visit clearvieweyes.com.

Media Contact: Diana Soltesz
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SOURCE Clearview Eye & Laser Medical Center