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Optometrists Speak Out About Dangerous Driving in Colorado

Colorado optometrists are seeing a problem rising on the roads that impacts more than just eye health. Fatal car accidents across Colorado have increased over the course of the pandemic even though less miles were driven. In the first half of 2021, total Colorado traffic fatalities were up 15% with drivers under the age of 34 experiencing the largest increase in traffic fatalities.1 With driving being 90 percent visual, unaddressed vision challenges increase the risk of car accidents at any age and being involved in a car accident can put your eyes at risk of injury.

We know that car accidents cause an estimated 9,280 to 11,600 eye injuries annually.2 Colorado optometrists are speaking out about the statewide safety issue while urging drivers to modify risky behavior for increased safety on the roads.

“Reducing car accidents and fatalities across Colorado is a combination of safer decision making and proper eye health. Risky driving puts your eye health, vision, and life at risk. We are asking two things of Coloradans to help make roads safer; get an annual eye exam and make safer decisions on the road,” says Dr. Jean DeMoss, Board President at the Colorado Optometric Association.

Common eye symptoms and injuries from a car accident include; black eye, blurred vision, curtain-like shadow falling over visual field, detached retina, eyelid cuts, hyphema, increased floaters, scratched cornea, reduced peripheral vision, and more. Eye injuries from car accidents can be painful and can threaten vision. In addition, whiplash and concussions can cause visual system issues that impact one’s quality of life and livelihood. Take precautions today to reduce your risk of a car accident.

Six Ways to Increase Safe Driving

  1. Get a Comprehensive Eye Exam – Make sure your eyesight and eye health are up to the task by getting an eye exam with your local optometrist. New legislation in Colorado requires that ages 21-79 attest to having an eye exam in the last year before renewing a driver’s license. Coloradans who are 80 years or older must have an eye doctor provide a signed DR 2498 confirming that the individual has had an eye exam in the last six months and the results of that exam.
  2. Reduce Distractions – With over 90 percent of Colorado drivers disclosing that they drive distracted, CDOT reports that on average 42 car accidents occur each day in the state due to distracted driving.3 Anything that takes your focus away from the road is a distraction including texting, eating, reading, navigating a smart phone or gps system, talking to passengers, caring after passengers/pets, and watching videos. Put your phone down and keep your eyes on the road!
  3. Use a Seatbelt for Every Trip – Seatbelt use reduces the risk of eye injuries in a car accident.4 The CDC reports that seatbelt use reduces serious injury and fatalities in a car accident by 50%, but still 1 in 7 adults do not buckle up.5 Make sure that everyone in the vehicle is using a seatbelt or a car seat/booster seat for younger passengers. Motorcyclists should wear a helmet to reduce the risk of brain injury and death in the case of an accident.
  4. Reduce Speeding – Of fatal accidents in Colorado, 35 percent in 2017 were speeding related.6 Speeding puts you and other drivers at risk. The rise in fatal accidents can partially be linked to simply driving too fast. Remember to stay within the posted speed limits. It’s better to be late than in an accident.
  5. Sober Driving – Driving under the influence increases your risk of a car accident or arrest. Roughly, 33% of U.S. car accident fatalities involve drunk drivers.6 Don’t forget that cannabis and some prescription medications count as impaired driving.
  6. Adhere to Traffic Signals – The AAA Foundation reports that 28% of car accident fatalities that occur at a traffic signal are due to running a red light.7 It’s simple to reduce your risk. Just stop.

References:

  1.  https://quotewizard.com/news/posts/dangerous-roads-during-covid-19
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4162731/
  3. https://www.codot.gov/safety/distracteddriving
  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15642817/
  5. https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/seatbeltuse/index.html
  6. https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/vision-zero/2019-report.html
  7. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/drunk-driving-statistics/
  8. https://www.colorado.aaa.com/news/red-light-running-deaths-hit-10-year-high2

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The One Secret Optometrists Want Everyone to Know

Are you ready for the big secret?

Well, here it is… Annual comprehensive eye exams are not just about your vision! These yearly visits are ALSO your best chance at early detection of over 270 non-eye related diseases including cancers, autoimmune diseases, stroke risk, high blood pressure and more.

Wow! How is this possible? Eye doctors are the only health professionals that can see into the back of the eye to investigate the health of the blood vessels and optic nerve, which can uncover a lot about your eyes and general health. In fact, many of the 270+ diseases that can be detected in an eye exam can be detected by an eye doctor before symptoms show up. This means that early detection of a disease can give the patient and healthcare team the ability to treat, manage and slow progression before quality of life is impacted.

“We want every Coloradan to know that when you skip your annual eye exam you’re putting more than your eyesight at risk. An annual eye exam is truly your best chance at early detection for general health challenges that can impact patients at any age. It’s a simple 30–60-minute appointment that has saved lives. Don’t skip this exam,” says Dr. Jean DeMoss, President of the Colorado Optometric Association’s Board of Directors.  

Can I Just Get a Quick Screening?
A vision screening is simply a tool used to determine if you should see an eye doctor for a comprehensive exam and is not effective at detecting potential eye health issues. A vision screening does not detect or diagnose any vision or health issues and does not replace a comprehensive eye exam with an optometrist. This means if you have only been getting vision screenings then you will want to schedule a comprehensive exam with an optometrist soon.

Common Health Conditions Optometrists Can Detect

  • Autoimmune diseases (lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis)
  • Certain cancers (blood, skin, tissue)
  • Brain tumors
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Heart disease
  • Sjögren’s syndrome
  • Stroke risk
  • Thyroid disease

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Diabetic Eye Health: 5 Ways to Protect Your Eyesight

Did you know that both type 1 and 2 diabetes can damage your eyes and cause vision loss? That’s right, the primary cause of blindness in adults ages 20-74 is diabetes.1 In fact, damage can be occurring for years without symptoms. This makes an optometrist an essential part of your healthcare team.

Diabetes patients are not only at risk for diabetic retinopathy, but they are at higher risk to develop cataracts earlier and glaucoma. In fact, early detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy can reduce the risk of blindness by 95%.1 It’s estimated that 50% of individuals with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy at some point and everyone with diabetes is at risk for this eye disease.

5 Ways to Avoid Diabetic Eye Disease

  1. Attending Annual Comprehensive Diabetic Eye Exams – This eye exam takes about 30 minutes and is similar to a standard comprehensive eye exam. Your eye doctor will dilate your eyes and focus on the health of your retina and the blood vessels in each eye. Only an eye doctor can perform these exams and they may advise you to increase or decrease your exam frequency depending on how well your blood sugar is being controlled. The eye doctor will report their findings to your primary care doctor.
  2. Controlling Blood Sugar – High blood sugar can damage the blood vessels in the back of your eyes over time and the damage can begin as early as pre-diabetes. Keep your blood sugar under control to lower your risk of eye health related issues.
  3. Controlling Blood Pressure – High blood pressure impacts two-thirds of diabetes patients and increases your risk of retinopathy along with stroke and heart attack. Work with your primary care doctor to manage your blood pressure and reduce the risk of diabetic eye diseases.
  4. Controlling Cholesterol – Diabetes can impact cholesterol levels by reducing “good” cholesterol and increasing “bad” cholesterol, which increases the risk of diabetic retinopathy. Managing cholesterol levels is important for overall health and eye health.
  5. Don’t Smoke – The sobering truth is that smoking increases everyone’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.3 For individuals who use insulin, smoking can reduce the effectiveness of insulin requiring more to manage blood sugar and increasing the risk of diabetic eye conditions.4 Free help to quit, call 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit gov/tips. Spanish-speakers can call 1-855-DÉJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569) or visit CDC.gov/consejos.

Common Diabetic Eye Diseases

  • Diabetic Retinopathy is when there is damage to the blood vessels in the back of the eye. This damage can cause blur or distortion in your vision, increase in floaters and permanent vision loss if severe.
  • Diabetic Macular Edema is swelling in the macula, which is the part of the retina responsible for your central vision.
  • Glaucoma is caused by increased pressure in the eye, which can damage the optic nerve and can cause peripheral vision loss before noticeable symptoms occur.
  • Cataracts are changes in color or clarity of the lens inside your eye that can cause blurry, cloudy or decreased vision.

Call your optometrist immediately if you have diabetes and experience any of these symptoms:

  • Blurry vision
  • Black spots
  • More floaters than usual
  • Feeling like a curtain is pulled over your visual field
  • Flashes of light
  • Any loss of sight in one or both eyes

1 https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/diabetes-eye-problems
2 https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/diabetic-eye-disease
3 https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/diabetes.html
4 https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/health-effects-tobacco-use/cigarette-smoking-risk-factor-type-2-diabetes

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