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By The Numbers

Low Vision Statistics

By: the Numbers
Eyecare Business September 1, 2007
BY THE NUMBERS

Low Vision Statistics

Here we've rounded up some of the results of recent research about low vision and vision loss. These findings point to a dangerous lack of understanding on the part of most Americans, as well as a growing need for more eyecare professionals to get involved in providing care for the increasing number of low vision patients.

LACK OF AWARENESS

  • In a Harris phone survey of 1,018 adults conducted for the American Optometric Association, only 27 percent of those interviewed knew about low vision.
  • Among the high-risk African-American population, even fewer—only 21 percent—were familiar with it.
LEVELS OF VISION
At best, most Americans know there are people who can't see well, and then there are people who are blind. To help you better communicate the realities of vision loss to your patients, here are descriptions of the six levels of vision, as defined by the American Optometric Association.

LEVEL BEST CORRECTED VISION
Near-normal vision 20/30 to 20/60
Moderate low vision 20/70 to 20/160
Severe low vision 20/200 to 20/400
Profound low vision 20/500 to 20/1,000
Near blindness less than 20/1,000
Total blindness no light perception

SCARY SENIOR STATS

  • Though not true, more than six out of 10 seniors who are visually impaired say there are no services available to them in their community.
  • Age-related macular degeneration afflicts more than 1.6 million people over age 60.
  • More than 25 percent of Americans over age 75 suffer from vision impairment that can't be corrected by contact lenses, glasses, or surgery. That number drops with age—only 17 percent of those between 65 and 74 and 15 percent of Americans between 45 and 64 report they suffer from low vision.

ECONOMICS OF LOW VISION

  • Nearly 44 percent of unemployed working-age adults in the U.S. suffer from visual disabilities.
  • Only 41 percent of visually impaired American adults are employed, as opposed to 84 percent of the population that is not visually disabled.
  • The annual cost of services provided to the blind and visually impaired in the U.S. is $22 billion…and growing!
BOOMER BASICS
According to a new Harris Interactive survey conducted for Lighthouse International, 62 percent of America's baby boomers report they are not concerned about becoming visually impaired or experiencing a loss of vision that can't be corrected by surgery, medicine, or eyewear.
Here are a few additional surprising boomer stats from this study:
■ 12 percent of boomers report trouble reading regular newspaper print even with glasses.
■ 14 percent report problems with their vision that impede simple tasks like bathing, cleaning, and cooking.

EYE DISEASES

  • Diabetic retinopathy affects more than 5.3 million Americans age 18 and over.
  • 45 percent of low vision cases are caused by AMD. Nearly 17 percent of the new cases of legal blindness are the result of AMD.
  • Some 2.2 million Americans have already been diagnosed with glaucoma, and another two million don't know they have it.
  • Glaucoma is four times more likely to affect African Americans than Caucasians.
EYE HEALTH
The Harris survey also points out how little Americans are doing to protect their eye health.
■ EYE EXAMS. Only 46 percent of Americans report scheduling an eye exam every year. The numbers are worse for African Americans and Hispanics (37 percent) than for Caucasians (49 percent).
■ SUNGLASSES. Just three out of 10 Americans report wearing sunglasses for eye health, and that number is lower for African Americans and Hispanics than for Caucasians.
■ DIET AND EXERCISE. Most Americans also don't take other steps that could help their vision. For example, only seven percent say they eat green vegetables and just two percent say they exercise in part to improve eye health.
■ SMOKING. And, only one percent say they quit smoking to improve eye health. That's despite the fact that smokers are twice more likely to suffer from macular degeneration than non-smokers.

Statistics cited above are from three sources: The American Optometric Association, the Lighthouse National Survey on Vision Loss, and the National Eye Institute.

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