More than half of Americans said their eyes are their most important attribute, but have poor habits when it comes to taking care of them, according to a new study.
A recent American Optometric Association survey, which asked 1,000 adults aged 18 and older about their eye knowledge, found that most Americans lack common knowledge of eye diseases and proper contact lens hygiene.
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Of the contact lens users surveyed, 79 percent admitted to poor lens hygiene, including showering, swimming and sleeping in contacts that were not approved for overnight wear.
Approximately 32 percent of respondents said that they wore contact lenses for no longer than the recommended one to three months while 17 percent said they never changed their lenses.
When it came to eye and other diseases linked to the eyes, nearly 67 percent said that they believed glaucoma was preventable with proper eye care when, in fact, it can only be treated not prevented. Of the respondents surveyed, 64 percent knew that diabetes could be detected through an eye exam, and 41 percent knew that people with diabetes need to have an eye exam at least once a year.
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