Vision Clarity and Impairments

To better understand visual impairment we needdevelop AMD in 2030, compared to 1.8 in 2004o
to first look at what 20/20 vision is. This is a1,200,000 people are in the later stages of
term that is used express the sharpness of onesmacular degeneration.o 230,000 people are blind
vision in measurement at the distance of 20 feet.from macular degeneration.
What this means is if you have 20/20 vision youCATARACTo 5,500,000 people have vision
can see with clarity at the distance of 20 feet.obstructed by a cataract.o 3,700,000 visits are
Take for instance those with 20/60 vision. Theymade to doctors' offices each year because of
must be as close as 20 feet to see what acataracts.o 1,350,000 cataract extractions are
person with 20/20 vision can see at 60 feet.performed each year.o 400,000 new cases of
However, this measurement of 20/20 only referscataracts develop each year.o 30.1 million people
to the clarity of vision at distances. There areare projected to have cataracts in 2020 as
other factors that pertain to vision skills. Theycompared to 20.5 million in 2004.
also included:RETINAL DISEASE (Diabetic Retinopathy)o 16
Hyperopia (far sightedness)million diabetics are prime targets for blinding
Presbyopia (loss of focusing ability)disorders.o 7 million diabetics suffer from diabetic
Myopia (near sightedness)retinopathy.o 700,000 diabetics are presently at
Color Visionrisk of blindness.o 100,000 people have retinitis
Eye Coordinationpigmentosa (RP), a family of progressive inherited
There are over 7 million people over the age of 6diseases that causes deterioration of the retina
who have difficulty seeing words and letters evenand blindness.o 65,000 diabetics each year develop
when they are wearing corrective lenses.proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the most
In the United States 17% of those aged 45 orsight-threatening stage.o 25,000 new cases of
older have a visual impairment even withblindness are caused annually by complications of
corrective lenses too.diabetes.
Visually disabled people without corrected lensesGLAUCOMAo 60 million Americans are at risk for
figures have reached to over 100 million in thedeveloping glaucoma.o 3 million glaucoma-related
United States with 80 million suffering fromoffice visits are made to doctors each year.o 2
potentially blinding eye diseases.million people are visually impaired by glaucoma;
Over 1 million people are legally blind.1,000,000 more have the disease but don't know
Looking at the major causes of visualthat they do.o 120,000 people are presently blind
impairments most of them are primarily due tofrom glaucoma.o 5,500 people become blind each
age related diseases. These include:year from glaucoma.o 3.3 million people are
Macular Degenerationprojected to have glaucoma in 2020 as compared
Cataractsto 2.2 in 2004.
Diabetic RetinopathyFortunately many peoples vision can be corrected
Glaucomawith lenses but there are so many that can not.
These impairments are affecting Americans moreThe most important thing to remember here, is
than ever before.to have regular check ups and to always follow
A disturbing fact is that the number of Americansyour doctor's instructions. Your eyesight is very
with age related eye disorders and visualimportant. Working with the visually impaired, I
impairments is expected to double within the nextcan tell you from experience that losing your
three decades. The total in 2030 is expected in beeyesight is one of the hardest things for a person
357 million.to cope with. However with the advancements in
Facts:technology today there are many rays of hope.
AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATIONFigures are from the "2004 Census & Visions
(AMD)o 13 million people have signs of macularProblems" and the Washington State of
degeneration.o 6,300,000 people are projected toOphthalmology.