Lack of Knowledge Regarding Eye Health

According to a survey sponsored by the National Eye Institute and the Lions Club Internation Foundation, most Americans do not know risks and warning signs of some of the leading causes of low vision and blindness. The survey, titled Public Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Related to Eye Health and Disease, was taken from a random selection of adults by a national telephone survey between October 2005 and January 2006. 71 % Respondents stated that on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the worst, having the greatest impact on their day-to-day life), loss of their eyesight would rate a 10! Yet, survey results show that 41% of Hispanics, 28% of Asians, 26% African Americans, and 16% of Caucasians had not seen or heard anything within the past year relating to eye health.

If Americans are so worried about losing their eyesight, why do we know so little about what threatens it?

I am posting information about some of the most common eye diseases below. I hope this information is helpful!

· Glaucoma
Glaucoma affects more than 3 million Americans. It is the leading cause of blindness among African-Americans and Hispanics and the number two cause of blindness in the elderly. Glaucoma causes no symptoms early in its course. Instead, its victims are likely to notice only blurred vision or a loss of peripheral vision. Even at that point, glaucoma can be treated, but the lost vision cannot be restored.

· Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in Americans age 65 and older. The eye-health organization Prevent Blindness America estimates that 13 million Americans have AMD. The National Eye Institute states that the number of Americans with moderate to severe AMD will reach 17 million by 2020.

· Optic nerve atrophy (ONA)
Optic nerve atrophy (ONA) is caused by tissue damage in the optic nerve. This can result in either partial or profound loss of vision. Optic nerve atrophy reduces central vision acuity so a person can no longer see detail; reduces the field of vision; and decreases reaction of the pupil to light sources. Once vision is lost through ONA, it cannot be recovered.

· Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic Retinopathy affects 5.3 million Americans age eighteen and older. It often has no early warning signs. If undetected and untreated, diabetic retinopathy causes the small blood vessels in the back of the eye to leak or burst. Blood leaking into the eye causes clouding and blurry vision in early stages, and if left untreated can lead to blindness.

· Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)
Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a progressive disorder that results from the degeneration of the rods and cones in the retina. As the rods and cones degenerate, gradual vision loss occurs.
The disease often first occurs in adolescence and continues to progress as the individual ages. Often RP results in blindness in young adults.

· Cataracts
Although 20.5 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts, cataracts are one of the most curable causes of vision loss. A cataract is the clouding of the eye's normally clear lens, blocking the passage of light needed for vision. They form slowly and cause no pain. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide; however, in most cases, vision loss from cataracts is reversible.

Source: Florida Division of Blind Services http://dbs.myflorida.com/eye_diseases/index.php