?Beauty lies in the eyes of beholder? and you must care for the eyes that make the world seem so beautiful to you. Eyes are, of course, one of the most important organs of our body (and one of the most senstive ones too). Almost everyone knows that protecting the eyes from dust, pollutants etc is very important. Most doctors suggest splashing the eyes with water in order to free them from any such foreign particles that might have inadvertently entered the eyes. In case you catch an eye infection, you must immediately seek doctor's advice.

Various medications and treatments are available for dealing with problems related to eyes and sometimes, there is also a need for surgery to rectify the problems. Most common problem with eyes is associated with the ability to clearly see distant and nearby things. These two conditions are also known as myopia and hypermetropia. This is easily treated through the use of lenses (eye glasses). And you can find several shops that sell eye glasses. In fact, selling eye glasses is a big business. There are various trendy frames available in the market (and some of them are really expensive).

Most people know that normal visual acuity is designated as20/20--meaning that the smallest print on the eye chart that someone can read at 20 feet corresponds to the lime for standard "normal' vision. Someone who can't read the 20/20 line is asked to look progressively higher up on the chart to bigger print until the letters can be read. The designation for that line then becomes the measure of visual acuity. For example, if someone can begin to distinguish letters from 20 feet only after moving to the line that can normally be read at 200 feet, that's 20/200 vision.

Ask people which of their five senses they value the most,and almost everyone would say their sight. The visual images that dominate our lives are priceless treasures, and we would sacrifice much to preserve them.

One important way to preserve the precious gift of sight isregular checkups by an eye doctor. (For exactly what is meant by an "eye doctor,' see the accompanying article.) In most cases, of course, people get their eyes checked to see if they need glasses, or a change in their prescription if they already wear them. But thorough, regularly scheduled eye exams also can be vitally important in detecting serious diseases and disorders that affect the eyes. Often, early detection and treatment can control or correct problems that otherwise could lead to permanently impaired vision or even blindness.

Another benefit of an eye exam is that, while peering into the eyes--with the help of sophisticated instruments--a doctor can discern symptoms of serious diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer, that affect the entire body. In fact, it's sometimes the eye doctor who is the first to pick up clues to such conditions.