Research Key In Preventing Blindness

SOUTHBURY — With the increasing number of aging baby boomers and the continuing struggle for families to find affordable health care, the number of blind and visually impaired is expected to double by the year 2030. In addition to the emotional impact of vision loss and its effects on quality of life is the financial toll it takes on our country.

According to a recent study funded by Southbury-based Prevent Blindness Tri-State, Prevent Blindness America, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the costs to the individual and their caregivers, and the impact on the US economy of vision conditions is a staggering $51.4 billion annually.

The “Economic Impact of Vision Problems: The Toll of Major Adult Eye Disorders, Visual Impairment, and Blindness on the US Economy” study focused on age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataract, diabetic retinopathy, primary open-angle glaucoma, refractive error, visual impairment, and blindness.

This report was the third in a series of studies funded by Prevent Blindness America and its affiliates to address the crucial need for better eye health services. The “2002 Vision Problems in the US” study provided comprehensive eye disease prevalence data on a national and state level.

In 2004, Prevent Blindness America released the “Vision Problems in the US: Recommendations for a State Public Health Response” report. This study examined vision preservation efforts in selected states, both in and outside of government, and identified potential roles for public health participation.

“Through these critical research studies, we are now able to prove not only to consumers, but government policymakers and leaders, the serious financial burden that vision loss and blindness has on the United States economy,” said Kathryn Garre-Ayars, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness Tri-State. “In addition to the vital clinical studies on eye diseases, we hope that these results will urge all groups to make vision care a priority in the near future.”

Prevent Blindness Tri-State, along with Prevent Blindness America, is dedicated to sight-saving research initiatives and has named June as Vision Research Awareness Month. Part of its mission is to assist in providing researchers with the resources they need to help preserve vision.

In fact, Prevent Blindness America and its affiliates have established the annual “Prevent Blindness America Investigator Awards” to provide research grants that help address the growing numbers of Americans at risk for blindness. In 2006, the group awarded four researchers working on diverse sight-saving research projects from Duke University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Minnesota. Winners of the 2007 Investigator Awards will be announced mid-June.

“The remarkable advancements made through these studies in recent years has made a dramatic impact on the success of treatments for eye disease and visual impairments,” added Ms Garre-Ayars. “Vision research has the potential to preserve sight for millions of Americans.”

For more information on the Prevent Blindness America Investigator Award, or for free brochures on various eye diseases, call Prevent Blindness Tri-State at 800-850-2020 or visit its website at www.preventblindnesstristate.org.