According to statistics gathered by the U.S. Census Bureau and Research to Prevent Blindness (www.rpbusa.org), there are approximately 15 million blind and visually impaired people in a country with almost 300 million residents. Blindness and visual impairment can affect anyone at anytime. An American loses their sight every eleven minutes. More and more are age related.
Visual Problems Increase With Age
The nearly 80 Million-strong baby-boomer (those born between 1946-1964) generation's leading edge is just now entering retirement age. Improvement in medical care means patients are living longer. Increased life expectancy, along with complications caused by the rising rate in diabetes has forecasters predicting age-related vision impairment could double by 2030. Because they live longer on average, women are overrepresented in this assessment.
Researchers can now see previously little noticed gerontological health issues. The American Federation of the Blind (www.afb.org) reports nearly one in five of those over 65 suffers from blindness or severe visual impairment. Seventy percent of those with either designation are 65 or older. As many as half of that demographic could be legally blind.
Definition and Causes of Blindness
The specific definition of legal blindness is when central vision acuity is 20/200 or less in the better eye-even with corrective lenses, or if peripheral vision is less than 20 degrees. The informal standard is when someone with corrective lenses can't read the biggest letter on an eye chart. Legal blindness doesn't necessarily mean total blindness. Ninety percent of the legally blind retain some vision. Thirty-five percent of the blind use a white cane. Two percent of the legally blind are accompanied by a guide dog.
Vision problems don't just affect the grandparent demographic. Infants can experience damaged retinas shortly after birth or a malfunction of the optic nerve. Nearly 20 million American children endure some form of sight related impairment. However, the leading causes of blindness are: age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age related cataracts.
The American public's primary heath fears are cancer, AIDS and blindness. Fortunately, resources for those with visual problems as well as those who have lost their sight are increasing and improving throughout the country.
Help for the Visually Impaired
The federal government's lead agency for vision research is the National Eye Institute (NEI); different states provide education, physical services and job opportunities through a variety of public and privately funded programs. And there's a well regarded local network of private, non-profit enterprises providing a broad spectrum of assistance to the blind or visually impaired.
One century old example is the Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (.www.cincyblind.org). Established in 1911, CABVI offers the latest in computer access, early childhood and youth services, education, employment, low vision services, orientation as well mobility, radio reading, rehabilitation teaching, and social services. The organization has no governmental affiliation and isn't the direct recipient of tax dollars.
The Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired generates income by manufacturing products which are sold primarily to the federal government. CABVI also sells products to the State of Ohio as well as commercial customers. Blind employees make dining packets, kitchen gadgets, as well as rolled paper and tape products that meet government standards for quality and competitive pricing. This business model helps fund services needed by a growing segment of the population.
Numerically accurate figures on blindness and visual impairment in the United States are difficult to obtain. There is no national clearinghouse or registry looking for this specific information. It's clear that America's aging and longer-lived population will see a noticeable increase in visual health problems. Knowledge of available resources from organizations like CABVI and proactive prevention with an eye on how your sight is affected will be as important for your well-being as any fitness choice made during the golden years.
Sources:
http://www.brailleinstitute.org/facts_about_sight_loss accessed 05/30/10
http://www.lighthouse.org/ accessed 05/30/10
http://www.prb.org/Articles/2002/JustHowManyBabyBoomersAreThere.aspx accessed 05/30/10
Anthony Tolliver - Tony Tolliver spent over 30 years working at commercial radio stations in the Midwest. He's a life-long information junkie who found his ...
