Older Baby Boomers -- More Vision Problems

The National Eye Institute and Prevent Blindness America joined forces recently to do a Study on Vision Problems in The U.S., updating one they did back in 2002. The Study gathered information from leading ophthalmologic epidemiologists and found that four causes of blindness are increasing:

1. Incidence of AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration) rose by 25% and at present, about two million Americans are diagnosed with AMD.

What is it? -- Gradual loss of function in the eye's macula. This is the part of the retina (the "camera film" of the eye) which allows clear images of fine detail in the center of our field of vision. There is no pain as it progresses.

2. Diabetic Retinopathy in increasing and now affects over 3.6 million Americans.

What is it? -- Damage to the retinal blood vessels, which swell and leak. The body tries to counter this lack of effective blood circulation in the eye by building new blood vessels, but they are usually just as weak and prone to leaking. The leaks can cause blindness.

3. Glaucoma is diagnosed in about 2.29 million, and the Study estimates that about two million more people have it but don’t know.

What is it? -- Elevated pressure within the eye which damages the optic nerve. This is a large nerve at the back of each eye which carries image information from the retina to the brain. Vision is lost gradually as the nerve is increasingly damaged.

4. About 22.3 million Americans have cataracts, many of whom cannot afford to obtain eye care for it

What is it? -- Cloudy areas in the eye's lens which block vision by blocking incoming light. Over time they grow larger until the entire lens has lost is translucency and blindness occurs.

The Study estimates that as the baby boomers continue aging, the incidence of these four conditions will double. They all develop gradually, so that for some time a person does not notice their presence. Vision loss happens slowly enough that one becomes used to each small loss before the next increment happens.

However, the Study notes too that early diagnosis and treatment can minimize vision loss, and it urges people to see their eye care professional today so as to protect their vision.