Written By: Susanne Medeiros for American Academy of Ophthalmology Apr. 22, 2020
Study after study has shown that people fear vision loss more than they fear cancer, stroke, heart disease and other serious ailments. But while most adults assume they're well versed in vision facts, few actually are. And that lack of knowledge only increases their risk. You might be surprised by these findings from an online survey of 3,512 American adults conducted by The Harris Poll for the American Academy of Ophthalmology in 2019.
81% of Americans say they are knowledgeable about eye and vision health BUT only 1 in 5 where able to identify 1 of the three main causes of blindness in the US: Glaucoma, Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and diabetic eye disease.
Most people are unaware of basic facts that could protect them from vision loss. For example, only about one-third of Americans know that eye diseases can steal your sight before you notice symptoms. That's because your brain adapts to vision loss, making it difficult to notice the decline — something that less than half of adults realize.
Did you know:
63% of American adults are unaware that you don't always experience symptoms before you lose vision to eye disease.
Did you know that certain groups have a higher risk of eye problems than others? If so, you're a step ahead of most adults.
About one-third of Americans develop some form of vision-reducing eye disease by age 65. But you might be surprised to know that vision loss is not always part of growing older.
53% of American adults are unaware that vision loss and blindness do not affect people equally and 2/3 falsely believe that vision loss is inevitable as you age.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your eyes as you age. Top 5 ways to Protect Your Vision as you Age:
(You may still need reading glasses as you age, but these measures can help prevent sight-threatening eye disease.
Vision loss in adults increases the risks of injury and death, a fact that more than half of Americans know. But the impacts of vision loss are underappreciated by most Americans, the survey reveals.
Few people realize that declininc eyesight can worsen the effects of other chronic illnesses. And only 1 in 4 adults know that vision loss is tied to psychological problems such as social isolation and depression.
Ophthalmologists – physicians who specialize in medical and surgical eye care – can diagnose eye diseases earlier and treat them more effectively than ever before. But these advances are meaningless for patients with undiagnosed disease. Nor can they help patients who remain unaware of the seriousness of their disease.
It's important to get help before it's too late. Far too often, ophthalmologists witness the consequences of patients entering their office too late to avoid severe vision loss.