Although some people have no problem missing or postponing their annual eye exam, they may want to rethink their attitude about it. That’s because eye exams are extremely important. They not only ensure that the person’s vision is corrected within acceptable parameters, but they can also catch many of the eye diseases that people are routinely afflicted with in their early stages.

Eye diseases such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and macular degeneration have very few symptoms during their early stages but can be caught with an eye exam. That’s why everyone is encouraged to get their annual exam, and no time is better for doing that than observing August as National Eye Exam Month.

The History of National Eye Exam Month

Originally, National Eye Exam Month was part of a promotional advertising campaign for Sears Optical in 1989. However, since this initial advertising run, this month has taken on a life of its own and has been promoted by optometrists all over the U.S. Every year, this month continues to grow in popularity, which is a good thing since it encourages more people to get their eyes checked.

Eye-Opening Facts About Eyes

Okay, now let’s dig into some very interesting facts about eyes. The facts that we think a lot of you reading this article are going to find quite informative. We dug up the following facts while we were researching National Eye Exam Month, so let’s check them out.

• The human eye blinks an average of 4.2 million times a year.
• The most common eye color in the world is brown.
• Green is the least common eye color in the world.
• Blue eyes are the most sensitive to light.
• A tiger’s night vision is six times better than that of a human.
• Approximately 80% of the average person’s learning comes through their eyes.
• Cats and dogs each have three eyelids.
• Birds also have three eyelids.
• New research shows that most Vikings had dark hair and dark eyes.
• In the past, people with blue eyes were seen as being more in tune with nature.
• Some ancient civilizations also believed that blue-eyed people had supernatural powers.

Observing National Eye Exam Month

During this month, people should go out and get their eyes checked, or if they have already had their eyes checked, then they should encourage a loved one to do the same. It’s also a good month to encourage absolute strangers on the Internet to also get their eyes checked by using the hashtag #NationalEyeExamMonth on social media.