April 11, 2026 Issue, Page 5 of 12

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ACTIVITIES The Elk City News SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2026 • 5 Eye Exams Can Save More Than Your Vision DEAR ABBY: I’m an ophthal- glaucoma and age-related macular filthy. It smells awful, and it’s dirty to say? — COVERING MY NOSE mologist, a physician who special- DEAR ABBY degeneration may begin to emerge. and very dusty. My breathing is IN CALIFORNIA izes in medical and surgical eye — LAURA FINE, M.D., OPH- affected every time I go to their DEAR COVERING: If your care, and I’m hoping you can help medical eye exam — but most peo- THALMOLOGIST AND EYE- house. breathing is being affected when me debunk a common myth about ple aren’t getting one. CARE AMERICA VOLUNTEER I have suggested a housekeeper, you visit your son’s house, you may eye health. Many assume eye dis- Abby, regular eye exams and DEAR DR. FINE: I am pleased but my son refuses to have one. Al- be allergic to something in the ease happens only to older adults. timely interventions can reduce the to share with my readers that Eye- though his wife works full time, she home. It might be dust or, more While age does increase the risk of risk of severe vision loss by more Care America has expanded from is the only one who cleans and does likely, animal dander. Discuss this developing certain vision-threat- than 90%. However, only about a seniors-only program. Readers, the laundry and shopping. My son with your doctor so you can be ening diseases, such as age-related 60% of people with diabetes receive EyeCare America is a national pub- and the kids do nothing. They have tested. Then tell your son and his macular degeneration, glaucoma the annual dilated eye examina- lic service program, and it offers asked me on several occasions to tions recommended by the Amer- wife that because it is affecting your and cataracts, younger people can no-out-of-pocket-cost medical eye watch their animals when they go ican Academy of Ophthalmology. health, you can no longer take care also develop vision-threatening eye exams with volunteer ophthalmol- on vacation, and I have. However, conditions. Ophthalmologists have more tools ogists to qualified individuals aged it is becoming more and more dif- of their animals when they travel. This is particularly true for the than ever for diagnosing and treat- 18 and over. To find out if you or ficult for me to do that because I nearly 40 million Americans living ing eye diseases. your loved ones are eligible, visit can’t stand being in their house. Dear Abby is written by Abigail with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy, For people worried about the www.aao.org/eyecare-america/pa- I’m not sure how to tell them Van Buren, also known as Jeanne a complication that damages blood cost, the Academy’s EyeCare Amer- tients. without hurting their feelings that Phillips, and was founded by her vessels in the retina, is now the ica program may be able to help. I cannot do this anymore. It really mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact leading cause of blindness among ALL healthy adults should have a DEAR ABBY: My son and his is affecting my breathing. Can you Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com working-age adults in the USA. The comprehensive eye exam by age wife work full time. They have two help me with how to tell them their or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA solution is surprisingly simple — a 40, when early signs of cataract, kids, ages 11 and 9. Their house is house is filthy or maybe what else 90069. CROSSWORD Get Fuzzy CURRENT PUZZLE ANSWERS Drabble Dailies Pearls Before Swine Garfield