(Akiit.com) It seems that in today’s day and age, almost any ailment, injury, or abnormality can be attributed to our genetic and ethnic roots. As an italian and greek woman, I find myself plagued by by big hips, olive skin, and beauty marks covering 75% of my body. It’s what makes me who I am. But, what about those things that come along with the territory that aren’t so great, or can actually cause issues?
I blame my bad hearing on my mom. She has horrible hearing, so that means by nature I do as well. But actually, it’s in our genes, our 
blood, to have poor hearing. Studies show that Europeans are more likely to lose hearing at a younger age than Asians, South American, or Australians. I honestly had no idea.
The same goes with African Americans. There are many diseases and conditions to which African Americans are more prone, such as diabetes, asthma, cancer, stroke, hypertension, lung disease and very commonly, eye disease. Cataracts, glaucoma, Diabetes leading to vision loss and even hypertension are all common conditions affecting African American’s eyesight. This causes poor vision and often leads to the need of contacts or glasses, as well as additional treatments. What a lot of people don’t know is that a lot, if not all of these ailments, can be cured or improved by lasik surgery.
Lasik surgery is primarily used to correct vision caused by the above mentioned conditions, or simply just for people who have poor vision. Since we know that this is something prominent in African Americans, it is wise to get your eyesight checked at a young age and to see if lasik is something you need to do.
Many people, African Americans and all other nationalities, will attribute something as simple as hearing loss or poor vision to environmental factors. Maybe you work in construction so the loud machines cause your ears to ring, or you work in an office under florescent lighting, or maybe you’re a student who sits in front of a computer 8 hours per day. Yes, these all can cause issues with your basic skills, but it might be time to look deeper into your roots than what is right above ground.
Staff Writer; Natasha James