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Protect Your Eyes: Celebrate Healthy Vision Month this May!

Did you know an estimated 61 million Americans are at high risk for serious vision loss? Or that every 13 seconds, someone in the United States goes to the hospital for a sports-related injury?

When it comes to our health, we visit our doctor or nurse regularly to make sure our bodies are healthy, but what about our eyes? They’re not always a priority, but they’re just as important. During Healthy Vision Month, held each May, the National Eye Institute (NEI) empowers Americans to make their eye health a priority and educates them about ways they can protect their vision:

• Get a dilated eye exam.

• Live a healthy lifestyle, including eating healthy foods, maintaining a healthy weight, managing chronic conditions, and not smoking.

• Know your family history.

• Use protective eye wear.

• Wear sunglasses.

Join NASN and NEI in making vision a priority at your school by celebrating Healthy Vision Month this May! Here are some ideas for getting the school community involved in recognizing this important observance:

• Display NEI resources. NEI has kid-friendly eye health resources available for free download that you can display in your school’s health center or nurse’s office. There is also a Healthy Vision Month poster you can hang in your school’s faculty room.

• Get parents involved. Encourage families to learn about how to protect their eyes by visiting nei.nih.gov/hvm. Small changes such as eating more leafy greens and learning about family eye health history are important in preventing eye diseases later in life.

• Play “Eye Spy.” Hold an “Eye Spy” scavenger hunt using the Healthy Vision Month website to find answers to eye health-related questions. Students can also search for answers using NEI’s downloadable resources and key message videos.

• Engage other educators. Encourage gym teachers and coaches to talk to their students about the importance of eye safety while playing sports and being active. Have students pledge to use proper eye safety gear when appropriate.

School nurses can play a critical role in raising awareness of eye health and safety in their communities. Please help us spread the word this May to students, educators, administrators, and parents and guardians—as well as to your friends and family!

For more information on Healthy Vision Month, or to find out how you can get involved, please visit nei.nih.gov/hvm. You can also check out the Healthy Eyes toolkit for additional resources.