[Nfbf-l] Attitudinal survey on eye health shows differences among groups; underscores critical need for funding research

[Alan Dicey]

Dear Friends,
I thought some would be interested in this article.
I never gave much thought to this subject, and found it quite interesting.
With Best Regards,
God Bless,
Alan
Plantation, Florida
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live the life we want."

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Comprehensive attitudinal survey on eye health shows differences among 
groups; underscores critical need for funding research
By Research America
Many Americans across racial and ethnic groups describe losing eyesight as 
potentially having the greatest impact on their day-to-day life, more so 
than other conditions including: loss of limb, memory, hearing and speech 
(57% of African-Americans, 49% of non-Hispanic whites, 43% of Asians and 38% 
of Hispanics). When asked which disease or ailment is the worst that could 
happen to them, blindness ranked first among African-Americans followed by 
AIDS/HIV. Hispanics and Asians ranked cancer first and blindness second, 
while Alzheimer's disease ranked first among non-Hispanic whites followed by 
blindness.
When asked about various possible consequences of vision loss, "quality of 
life" ranked as the top concern by non-Hispanic whites (73%) and Asians 
(68%) while African-Americans (66%) and Hispanics (63%) ranked "loss of 
independence" as number one.
These and other findings from a new national public opinion poll 
commissioned by Research America and the Alliance for Eye and Vision 
Research (AEVR) point to various perspectives among racial and ethnic groups 
regarding eye and vision health.
"Every segment of the population has major concerns about the impact of eye 
disorders on quality of life," said Mary Woolley, president and CEO of 
Research America. Individuals realize the importance of good eye health in 
maintaining productive lives and fear its loss. But the reality is that 
advances in the prevention and treatment of eye disorders will not be 
possible without stronger investments in research.
National support of research that focuses on improving the prevention and 
treatment of eye and vision disorders is considered a priority among a 
strong majority of respondents (83% of African-Americans and non-Hispanic 
whites, 80% of Asians and 79% of Hispanics). When told that the federal 
government spends on average $2.10 per person each year on such research, 
half of African-Americans (51%) and Hispanics (50%) say this is not enough 
followed by non-Hispanic whites (47%) and Asians (35%). About half of all 
groups believe that non-governmental sectors - industry, patient groups and 
philanthropies - should also increase funding for eye and vision research 
(57% of Hispanics, 51% of African-Americans, 49% of Asians and 47% of 
non-Hispanic whites). Knowledge about specific eye disorders was uneven 
among populations. More than half of all groups have heard of cataracts and 
glaucoma but fewer were aware of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and 
diabetic eye disease. Hispanics (35%) and Asians (31%) are more likely to 
say they have not heard of these conditions compared to 22% of non-Hispanic 
whites and African-Americans.
As for causes of eye disorders, a majority of all respondents (80% of 
non-Hispanic whites, 77% of Hispanics, 76% of Asians and 70% of 
African-Americans) believe that excessive sunlight or ultraviolet radiation 
is a risk factor for eye disease along with ethnic heritage (64% of Asians, 
60% of non-Hispanic whites, 59% of Hispanics and 52% of African-Americans). 
Chronic exposure of eyes to sunlight can cause cataracts and macular 
degeneration as well as eye irritation.
Minority groups are often at a higher risk for vision impairment and 
blindness due to higher rates of certain eye conditions such as glaucoma, 
cataract and diabetic retinopathy.
More than half of Asians (57%), Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites (52%) and 
a plurality of African-Americans (42%) agree that obesity is also associated 
with greater risk for eye disease, and 62% of Hispanics, 60% of Asians, 54% 
of non-Hispanic whites and 48% of African-Americans agree smoking is a risk 
factor. Research has shown the risks of AMD, diabetic retinopathy, cataract 
and glaucoma increase with obesity-related systemic diseases such as 
diabetes or a high body mass index (BMI), abdominal circumference or 
waist-hip ratio. Smoking also increases the risk of AMD, cataracts, 
glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and chronic dry eye.
Looking ahead, many respondents believe health care costs from eye disorders 
will increase by the year 2050 (62% of non-Hispanic whites, 58% of Asians, 
54% of Hispanics and 50% of African-Americans).
A June 2014 report by Prevent Blindness estimates that the total cost of 
vision disorders is expected to reach $717 billion in 2050 compared to the 
current annual cost of $145 billion.
The poll, conducted by Zogby Analytics in August 2014 and supported by a 
grant from Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB), is a rigorous attitudinal 
survey among non-Hispanic whites and minority populations about eye health 
and research. The margin of error for the sample sizes range from /-3.2 to 
/-5.8 percentage points. To view the poll, visit:
www.researchamerica.org/uploads/AEVRRApoll.pdf.
"AEVR thanks Research to Prevent Blindness for supporting this poll, which 
builds upon the first-ever attitudinal survey it conducted fifty years ago 
in 1965 and updated in 1976 and 1988," said James Jorkasky, executive 
director of AEVR. Although vision loss remains top-of-mind, we must continue 
to educate and advocate for research, especially due to an increasing 
at-risk aging population, vision disorders resulting from chronic diseases, 
and the disproportionate incidence of eye disease in growing minority 
populations.
Among other findings:
About half of all respondents say they would likely participate in a 
clinical trial for eye and vision research if recommended by a health care 
provider (52% of non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics, 49% of Asians and 48% of 
African-Americans).
About half of all respondents say they have insurance coverage for routine 
eye exams or glasses (56% of Asians, 54% of Hispanics, 50% of non-Hispanic 
whites and 48% of African-Americans).
A third of all respondents say they have eye exams less frequently than they 
would like because of their insurance situation (31% of African-Americans, 
31% of Hispanics, and 29% of Asians and non-Hispanic whites).
A strong majority of all respondents (90% of non-Hispanic whites, and 84% of 
African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians) agree that good eye health is 
important to overall health.
About Research America polls
Research America began commissioning polls in 1992 in an effort to 
understand public support for medical, health and scientific research. The 
results of Research America's polls have proven invaluable to our alliance 
of member organizations and, in turn, to the fulfillment of our mission to 
make research to improve health a higher national priority. In response to 
growing usage and demand, Research America has expanded its portfolio, which 
includes state, national and issue-specific polling.
Visit
www.researchamerica.org.
About Research America
Research America is the nation's largest nonprofit public education and 
advocacy alliance working to make research to improve health a higher 
national priority. Founded in 1989, Research America is supported by member 
organizations representing 125 million Americans. Visit
www.researchamerica.org
About the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR)
AEVR, a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation comprised of 55 member 
organizations including professional societies in ophthalmology and 
optometry, patient and consumer groups and industry, serves as the 
privately-funded '"Friends of the National Eye Institute (NEI).'
"In 2009, Congress passed H. Res. 366 and S. Res. 209 to recognize the 40th 
anniversary of the NEI and designate 2010-2020 as the "decade of vision." 
AEVR's Decade of Vision 2010-2020 Initiative is a sustained educational 
effort to inform policymakers, patients, and the media about the benefits of 
federally funded vision research.
Visit
www.eyeresearch.org
About Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB)
Research to Prevent Blindness seeks to preserve and restore vision by 
supporting research to develop treatments, preventives and cures for all 
conditions that damage and destroy sight. Within this mission is a 
commitment to grow and nurture a robust and diverse vision research 
community. Since it was founded in 1960 by Dr. Jules Stein, RPB has awarded 
over $320 million in research grants to the most talented vision scientists 
at the nation's leading medical schools. The flexible nature of RPB grants 
fosters groundbreaking findings by funding innovative, out-of-the-box 
research and by giving researchers the freedom to pursue emerging 
discoveries.
As a result, RPB has been associated with nearly every major breakthrough in 
the understanding and treatment of vision loss in the past 50 years.
Visit
www.rpbusa.org.
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