Vets Remove Jumbo-Sized Cataract.

Vets Remove Jumbo-Sized Cataract..

Americans Not Properly Protecting Their Vision, Shows New Lighthouse Int’l Survey From Harris Interactive

Image via Wikipedia

From VisionMonday

October 21, 2010 12:39 AM

NEW YORK— According to a new survey, an overwhelming 82 percent of Americans fear losing their vision more than any other of the five senses. Additionally, a majority of those surveyed reported getting an annual eye exam yet 86 percent of those who have (or are at-risk for) eye disease fear losing their vision and do not get an annual eye exam, according to Lighthouse International, the non-profit organization which released the survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, yesterday.

The study features public response regarding health and other key national issues, was conducted by telephone in September 2010 for Lighthouse. It also explored barriers against vision testing and key behaviors that contribute to vision loss (i.e. smoking or lack of exercise) with the 1,004 participating adults. Other questions asked in the survey included, “What would motivate you to take better care of your eyesight?” More than half of respondents indicated the motivation to be “a problem or change in vision.”

“This is a disturbing finding, since a comprehensive, annual eye exam is the most important step to preserving vision,” said Mark G. Ackermann, president and CEO of Lighthouse International. He added, “Due to an increase in the number of aging Baby Boomers and the growing prevalence of such diseases as diabetes and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), some 61 million Americans are at high risk of serious vision loss.”

Related Articles

• Millions of Americans at Risk for Vision Loss and Don’t Know It (aolhealth.com)
• Macular degeneration – All Information (umm.edu)