COLUMBUS – Millions of Americans need eyeglasses, according to a new study by The National Institutes of Health (NIH). The results of the national survey aimed to calculate the number of visually impaired Americans, aged 12 and older. The findings of the "Prevalence of Visual Impairment in the United States" study showed an astounding 14 million Americans are visually impaired and 11.6 million could benefit from corrective lenses.
Using the results of this study, Prevent Blindness Ohio calculates that nearly 400,000 Ohioans ages 12 and older are navigating their communities with visual impairment which could be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Sight is an important indicator of health and quality of life. Individuals with impaired vision may be at increased risk of injuries and are more likely to curtail or stop driving. Visually impaired elderly persons are at an increased risk of falls and fractures and depression.
The results of this study point out that visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive error is a common condition in the United States and that providing access to comprehensive eye care to those whose vision can be improved is an important public health issue with impacts on safety and quality of life.
Prevent Blindness Ohio urges all Ohioans to visit their eye doctor regularly for comprehensive eye exams and make eye care a routine part of their overall health care regimen. Regular eye exams can help those with refractive errors such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, and can also detect the early stages of eye disease. Diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration can only be effectively treated if diagnosed early. Unfortunately, once vision is lost, it likely can never be restored.
For those who need assistance in accessing eye care , Prevent Blindness Ohio, the state’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization, offers help to local resources that can assist the public in locating these services through the Vision Care Outreach (VCO) Program. "Many Americans do not have access to affordable healthcare, especially when it comes to taking care of their eyes or their family’s eyes,” said Sherill K. Williams, President and CEO of Prevent Blindness Ohio. "That’s why we work tirelessly with other organizations to help get people the care they need."
Through the generosity of partnerships with optometry, ophthalmology and the vision industry, Prevent Blindness Ohio has assembled a system of donated eye care for Ohio’s indigent that is one of the largest statewide "virtual free clinics" for indigent eye care in the United States. In 2005, Prevent Blindness Ohio provided access to donated eye care to 5,465 clients through this comprehensive system of eye care which includes a professional eye exam, glasses, medications and surgery/aftercare.
The VCO Program began in Columbus in 1990 and has developed networks of donated care in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo since that time. In 1997, the Vision Service Plan (VSP)- Sight for Students Program was made available to PBO to provide eye exams and glasses to children up to 200% of poverty who did not have other insurance. VSP’s 1,200 Ohio providers are located in every Ohio county and are very accessible to patients.
For more information on eye health or eye care assistance programs, call 1-800-301-2020.
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Prevent Blindness Ohio, founded in 1957, is Ohio’s leading volunteer, nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight. It serves all 88 Ohio counties, providing direct services to more than 600,000 Ohioans annually and educating millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their precious gift of sight. Prevent Blindness Ohio is an affiliate of Prevent Blindness America, the country’s second-oldest national voluntary health organization. For more information or to make a contribution, visit our website at www.pbohio.org or call 800-301-2020.
