Most people would rather lose a limb than lose their
eyesight, according to the results of a nationwide poll. Indeed, if given
a choice, most people would prefer to lose their hearing, their memory, or
their ability to speak rather than losing their vision, according to the survey
results published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology.
The survey polled 2,044
Americans from across all ethnic, racial, and economic demographics. Nearly 88%
of respondents viewed eye health as critical to overall health, and 47%
considered vision loss to be the worst possible health condition that could
happen them, even worse than Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, or AIDS/HIV. Among
the possible consequences of vision loss, respondents ranked quality of life as
the greatest concern, followed by loss of independence.
While 81.5% of Americans
reported having an eye examination, many were not well aware of the diseases
and conditions that lead to vision loss. Nearly two-thirds of respondents
reported awareness of cataracts (65.8%) or glaucoma (63.4%), but only half were
aware of macular degeneration, and 37.3% were aware of diabetic retinopathy. As
many as 25% of all respondents weren’t aware of any eye conditions that could
cause loss of vision.
If
you or someone you know does not have regular eye health and vision exams, please
schedule one today. Call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930,
visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, Google+ or www.facebook.com/alabamaeyeandcataractcenter.
