Besides the typical national holidays, countries often have special months that are dedicated to a particular topic. Did you know that in the United States, March is national Frozen Food Month, June is national Turkey Lover’s Month, and November is national Raisin Bread Month? Another important month to remember each year is January: National Eye Care Month.

Why The Eyes Have It

To fully appreciate National Eye Care Month, we must understand how the incredible human eye functions. It adjusts to the altering lighting circumstances and pinpoints light rays deriving from different intervals from the eye. If each of the eye’s parts operates correctly, light is changed to pulses and transported to the brain. The image is discerned there.

The process of seeing begins when light penetrates the eye through the cornea--a clear layer of tissue. The cornea functions as the primary tool for the eye’s focusing. It bends beams of light that are widely swerving, through the pupil. That is the round, dark hole in the middle the colored iris.

Directly behind the pupil, the lens exists. The lens’ function is to make slight changes in the light rays’ route. This focuses the light onto the retina. The retina is the covering containing photoreceptor nerve cells that cover the interior back wall of the human eye. These cells in the retina alter the light rays into electrical pulses. They then transport them to the brain, via the optic nerve. There, the image is recognized.

Where’s Your Eyewear?

National Eye Care Month is an ideal time to remember how amazing the human eye is. Protect it by following these tips:

Never permit children to play with laser pointers.

Use eyewear designed for your particular sport, whether you play it during National Eye Care Month or any other month.

Always keep household chemicals, pesticides, paints, etc., away from children, by locking the items up.

Young kids should not be allowed to play with older kids’ toys. About 75% of kids’ eye injuries occur when adults are away.

Wear proper protective eyewear when in tanning beds, outdoors on bright days, and when working with welding arcs.

Wear protective eyewear (including during National Eye Care Month) when using power equipment, and never remove the safety guards.

Never share eye drops or eye makeup with anyone.

Wear protective eyewear when working with cleaning solvents, detergents, etc.

Always use safety seats, seatbelts and shoulder harnesses in vehicles.

Wear protective eyewear when utilizing lawn equipment.

Use protective eyewear when labouring with car batteries—even on National Eye Care Month!

Never let children play in areas where dogs and cats defecate.

Let professionals operate fireworks. Consumer fireworks annually result in about 2,000 eye injuries.

While we should protect our eyes every day of the year, National Eye Care Month provides us with an entire month to focus on this objective. After January, protect your eyes every month of the year!