It’s National Save Your Vision Month and the New Jersey Department of Human Services is urging all residents to be proactive and take advantage of free vision screenings being offered across the state. 

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“Most issues with the eyes are undetectable without regular screenings and 50 percent of all forms of blindness are preventable,” said Dr. Bruce Kastner of the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CBVI).  “This is all the more reason, people should take advantage of the free screenings being offered.”

It’s estimated that 118,000 New Jerseyans over the age of 40 are blind or visually impaired.

Loss of sight impacts quality of life, medical costs, work productivity and various other economic factors totaling about $51.4 billion a year, nationally.

“Sometimes, your visual field is affected which means you may see 20-20 but you won’t see in all directions.  Conditions like this can only be detected with annual check ups of some sort,” said Kastner.  “For people who don’t have access to health care, we’re available to provide these services.”

“The nice thing about our vision screening program is that if someone fails, we don’t just tell them to go get checked.  We follow up and make sure we deliver them to eye doctors in their community,” said Kastner.

Last year alone, more than 42,000 people were screened and 8,300 of those screened were referred for necessary follow-up. CBVI performs eye screenings in nearly every county at least once a month.

A mobile unit also can be dispatched to your community by contacting the Commission at: 973-648-7400 or Toll Free 877-685-8878.  To find a screening site nearest you, visit www.cbvi.nj.gov.

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