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New Study Reveals 14 Million Americans Are Visually Impaired
June 2006 - According to last week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a National Institute of Health (NIH) study found that 14 million, or six percent, of Americans have vision problems. The study, which interviewed 15,000 people, found that more than 11 million Americans have uncorrected visual impairment, such as nearsightedness, and need eyeglasses or contact lenses to improve their vision. The remaining three million suffer from visual impairments that cannot be corrected.
"This is the first national survey on vision since the mid-1970s, and it confirms that uncorrected visual impairment is a major public health problem," said Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., director of the NIH. "The good news is that we now have information on the extent of visual impairment in the United States that will be available to policymakers as they seek to address health care issues at the local, state and national levels."
In addition, the study found that teenagers, people with diabetes, Hispanics and people who are economically disadvantaged have higher rates of visual impairment and can most benefit from corrective lenses. "This study found that most people who have a visual impairment could achieve good vision with proper eyeglasses or contact lenses," added Paul A. Sieving, M.D, Ph.D., director of vision research at NIH. "So, if you have trouble seeing, you should get your eyes examined as soon as possible."
Authors of the study made the following recommendations:
- Health care professionals should talk to their patients about the importance of eye health and encourage them to participate in routine vision screenings and eye examinations.
- People who already wear eyeglasses or contact lenses should return to their eyecare professional for periodic eye examinations.
- Efforts to increase public awareness about the importance of routine eye examinations should be undertaken.
- Vision screening opportunities for the public should be expanded.
If you are experiencing any vision difficulties, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor. To find a doctor in your area, use the Check Yearly Doctor Locator to the left.