HEALTH & WELLNESS
SPEC IA L SEC TION
SEEING INTO THE FUTURE
Twenty-first century children will be looking beyond genetics as
a cause for needing corrective eyewear, according to the American
Optometric Association (AOA). In the Digital Age, children are
exposed to electronic devices their whole lives as an integral part of
social and educational practices. Teachers are continuing to increase
the amount of digital technology used in the classroom, and it is
expected that computer simulations will account for much of the
learning style in the future. Both teachers and parents are finding that
children are adapting well to the use of technology in the classroom,
making learning more interactive and current than most textbook
learning.
The AOA’s 2015 American Eye-Q® survey states that 41 percent of
parents say their kids spend three or more hours per day using digital
devices, and 66 percent of kids have their own smartphone or tablet.
As technology becomes more of an essential part of modern life, it is
important for parents to find balance in their children’s digital usage.
Electronic devices, including televisions, give off blue and violet
light that may affect vision by causing eyestrain and discomfort. If
your child has to do homework using the computer or tablet, keep
the television off during dinnertime and instead enjoy conversation
together. Optometrists also researched the importance of natural
sunlight exposure to the eyes and say that the lack of exposure to
natural light could affect the growth and development of vision.
DIGITAL EYESTRAIN
• Burning
• Fatigue
• Itchy or tired
• Blurry vision
• Increased headaches
• Head and neck pain
The best way to properly monitor eye and vision health is to make
sure your child gets a comprehensive eye exam every year.
KEEP YOUR TEETH & GUMS HEALTHY
A big smile can say a lot about your overall health, so if you’ve
been skipping out on the dentist, you may want to schedule your
visit. A yearly dental visit protects against poor oral health that can
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Delivering Best Practices to Premier Care.
I t will never be unimportant to evaluate the quality
of care you and your family receive. With an
abundance of medical surveys, rankings and other
types of recognition, it can be hard to distinguish
between accurate claims and overinflated advertising.
High quality care and treatment is becoming more avail-
able with an identification and execution of “best practices.”
These care strategies are a direct result of collecting and
sharing population health data and medical outcomes
across the industry, well beyond our region.
Premier Medical Associates is a nationally recognized
leader at bringing positive change and quality outcomes to
our patient care. Premier works directly with prominent US
health organizations, like Optum and AMGA, to participate,
exchange data and discover best practices across many
facets of health. We are tackling many leading health
concerns such as blood pressure, immunization,
preventative screening and closer monitoring of
chronic conditions.
You and your doctor are the front-line of care. High-
functioning health organizations, including Premier, are
giving physicians, PAs and nurse practitioners a roadmap
to better primary care.
Mark DeRubeis, CEO, explained, “No one physician
can go it alone today; it takes technology, data and
an alliance with other medical experts. National
collaboration and the individual physician’s commit-
ment to a higher standard of care are both key to
improving the health care here at home.”
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