Are You Ignoring the Health of Your Eyes?
We rarely give our eyes the attention they deserve.
We open them each morning, scroll through our phones, rush through emails, and move through the day, rarely pausing to think about what it takes to see. We rub them when we’re tired. We squint in the sunlight. But how often do we ask ourselves: Are my eyes still healthy? Will I still be able to see clearly in ten, twenty, or thirty years?
Most of us assume vision loss is a problem for “other people”, something that happens in old age, or only to those with pre-existing conditions. But that assumption is dangerous. The truth? Vision loss is affecting Canadians of all ages, in all walks of life. And far too often, it’s both preventable and ignored.
The Silent Crisis of Vision Loss in Canada
More than 1.2 million Canadians are currently living with vision loss. Thousands more are added to that number every year, sometimes gradually, sometimes suddenly. In many cases, they had no warning. No symptoms. No reason to believe their eyesight was in danger, until it was.
A recent national survey revealed that 4 in 10 Canadians have noticed changes in their vision in the past two years. Among older adults, that figure jumps to over 50%. These aren’t just minor inconveniences. These are symptoms that could be early signs of progressive, irreversible eye disease.
Yet, despite the growing numbers, vision health remains one of the most overlooked areas of preventative care in the country. Why?
Because we don’t feel eye disease. We don’t hear it. It doesn’t interrupt our routines, until it’s too late.
Four Major Eye Diseases You Shouldn’t Ignore
Most people don’t realize that by the time noticeable symptoms appear, irreversible damage may have already occurred. Here are the four major eye diseases that threaten vision in Canada, and why early detection matters more than you think.
1. Glaucoma: The Silent Thief of Sight
Glaucoma slowly damages the optic nerve, often without any noticeable symptoms. Vision loss begins in the periphery, so you may not realize anything’s wrong until significant sight is lost. Once vision is gone, it cannot be restored, but treatment can slow or stop further loss, if caught early.
2. Cataracts: Treatable, but Time Sensitive
Cataracts cloud the eye’s natural lens, making it feel like you’re looking through a fogged-up window. It’s the leading cause of blindness worldwide, but one of the most treatable, if diagnosed in time. In Canada, cataract surgery is routine and often life-changing.
3. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): Losing Central Vision
AMD impacts your central field of vision, making reading, driving, and recognizing faces difficult. While it may not cause total blindness, it can severely affect your independence and quality of life. Lifestyle adjustments and regular monitoring can slow its progression.
4. Diabetic Retinopathy: A Hidden Risk for People with Diabetes
One of the lesser-known complications of diabetes, diabetic retinopathy damages blood vessels in the retina. The condition often advances without any pain or symptoms, making routine eye exams critical, even for those whose vision seems normal.
Why Vision Loss is More Than Just an Inconvenience
When we talk about eye health, many people picture glasses or blurry road signs. But for thousands of Canadians, vision loss represents something far more profound: a loss of autonomy, safety, and connection.
- It increases the risk of falls, leading to injuries and hospitalizations.
- It can result in social isolation, especially in seniors.
- It makes everyday activities like cooking, reading, or walking to the store more dangerous.
- It places emotional and physical pressure on caregivers, who often feel unequipped to support their loved ones.
Loss of vision is not just about what you can or cannot see. It’s about the life you can or cannot live.
How Digital Habits Are Reshaping Our Eye Health
In our hyper-connected world, screen time is nearly unavoidable, and it’s rewriting the future of vision health, especially for younger generations.
Children are exposed to screens before they can talk. Teens average up to 7–9 hours of screen time per day. Adults bounce from work emails to Netflix with little break in between.
The result? A rise in digital eye strain, also known as computer vision syndrome.
Common symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Dry or irritated eyes
- Blurred or fluctuating vision
- Neck, back, and shoulder pain
Perhaps more concerning is the increase in myopia (nearsightedness). Eye care experts predict that by 2050, 50% of the global population could be myopic, largely driven by extended near-focus tasks like reading from screens and reduced time outdoors.
What Can You Do?
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Encourage outdoor play for kids, it’s protective for eye development.
- Use anti-reflective lenses or screen filters.
- Reduce screen time before bedtime to protect both your eyes and your sleep quality.
Children and Indigenous Communities
In Canada, many children go through their early years with undiagnosed vision problems, not because no one cares, but because they lack access to timely, affordable, and culturally appropriate eye care.
In rural and Indigenous communities, children often struggle for years before receiving a comprehensive eye exam. Some may be misdiagnosed with learning or behavioral issues when, in fact, they simply can’t see the board at school.
Programs like the Indigenous Children Eye Examination (ICEE) project, led by Dr. Kourosh Sabri and team, are working to close these gaps by training local youth and delivering sustainable eye care in Indigenous communities. But these programs need ongoing funding, public awareness, and policy support.
Our Elders Deserve Better
By 2030, 1 in 4 Canadians will be over the age of 65. Yet many older adults still view vision loss as an inevitable part of aging, something to be endured, not prevented.
But vision decline is not a foregone conclusion. What’s lacking is often access, not ability:
- Many seniors can’t drive to appointments.
- Some lack extended health coverage for eye exams or treatments.
- Others dismiss symptoms, assuming it’s “just age.”
To address this, the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS) is advocating for a National Vision Health Desk, a coordinated federal strategy to protect the eye health of Canadians across the lifespan.
This desk would:
- Support nationwide vision screenings
- Facilitate data sharing across provinces
- Ensure underserved populations receive timely care
- Help prevent avoidable blindness
What You Can Do Today
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already begun thinking differently about your eye health. That’s the first step. The second step? Action.
✅ Book an Eye Exam: Even if your vision feels “fine.” Early-stage eye disease often has no symptoms — and early treatment makes all the difference.
✅ Know Your Family History: Many eye conditions have a genetic component. A quick conversation with your relatives could help your doctor assess your risk more accurately.
✅ Wear Proper Sunglasses: UV rays aren’t just harmful to your skin — they can increase your risk of cataracts and AMD. Look for sunglasses that block 100% UVA and UVB.
✅ Eat for Your Eyes: Foods rich in omega-3s (like salmon), leafy greens (spinach, kale), and colorful produce (carrots, berries, oranges) all support long-term eye health.
✅ Advocate for Equity in Eye Care: Support organizations like Fighting Blindness Canada, CNIB, and COS. Share their resources. Write to your MP. Push for better access in schools, senior homes, and rural clinics.
Make Vision Health a Household Conversation
- Remind your parents or grandparents to schedule an eye exam.
- Monitor your children’s screen time and ask about their vision.
- Check in with friends or colleagues managing diabetes or hypertension.
Eye health doesn’t exist in isolation. It touches education, employment, mobility, and mental health. And yet, it’s rarely part of our everyday health conversations.
Don’t Wait for the Blur to Take Action
Your eyes won’t always warn you. Vision loss often creeps in quietly and once it’s gone, there’s no turning back.
Vision Health Month is not just a campaign. It’s a reminder. A call to pause and protect one of your most vital senses. Because the cost of ignoring your eye health isn’t inconvenience, it’s lost moments, missed milestones, and preventable suffering.
Protect your sight now. So you can live, love, work, and see, clearly and confidently, for years to come.
If you’re caring for a loved one who’s starting to miss things, bump into objects, or struggle with daily tasks, it might not just be aging, it could be their vision. Let us help. Call (647) 771-2273 today to speak with our caring team and find the support you both deserve.