The Loretto Hospital will continue its free vision screenings for uninsured or underinsured residents of Austin through the end of March.
African Americans have some of the highest rates of vision loss and blindness of any population – and rates are getting higher – according to the National Eye Institute. About half of vision loss among Blacks is caused by cataracts, a progressive clouding of the eye’s lens that can lead to partial or complete blindness. While there are often no symptoms during the early stages, blurry vision, poor night vision, and seeing double or a halo around lights are common signs of cataract progression.
“The good news is that a comprehensive eye exam can find cataracts and other eye diseases early on, when they’re often easier to treat,” said Dr. Mark Benjamin, an ophthalmologist at The Loretto Hospital who recommends anyone over the age of 40 receive a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once every two years.
Qualifying individuals should call the hospital at (833) TLH-LOVE to schedule a free eye exam.
The screenings will look for glaucoma, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, dry eye, and other treatable eye infections and diseases.