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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: American Academy
August 17, 2007 Ophthalmology media
relations
415 561-8534 or
Eye Surgeons Associates
Julie Berntgen, Director
of Marketing
563-459-6609
Eye Disease on the Rise
Among Older Americans,
Few Realize Risk
American Academy of Ophthalmology issues new recommendation for eye
health
and launches new initiative, EyeSmart Campaign, to educate public
about risks
Quad Cities - - A new national health survey[i] of 1,200 Americans
conducted for the American Academy of Ophthalmology finds that most
Americans are unaware of the risks associated with age-related eye
diseases, despite a projected 65 percent spike in those conditions by the
year 2020 The survey indicates that few
Americans see themselves truly at
risk for eye disease and that populations most at risk for developing eye
disease are unaware of the factors that make them susceptible Overall,
most Americans rank blindness and vision loss relatively low on their list
of health concerns
Age-related eye diseases including cataracts, diabetic retinopathy,
glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration are expected to dramatically
increase-from 28 million today to 43 million by the year 2020[ii] Left
untreated, these diseases can cause serious vision loss and blindness At
the heart of this upsurge lie Americas 78 million baby boomers, who will
increasingly face the effects of eye diseases as they get older Despite
these statistics, Americans remain relatively unconcerned about vision
loss The Academys survey reveals that less than a quarter of Americans
23 percent are very concerned about losing their vision, while a majority
feel weight gain or joint and back pain are of greater concern than vision
loss
The unfortunate reality is that millions of people will suffer significant
vision loss and blindness because they dont know that they are at risk,
said Dr Benevento, Medical Director at Eye
Surgeons Associates Letting
people know what they can do to prevent vision loss and blindness will be
key We are trying to get the word out through our web site, seminars, and
health fairs
The Academy, the worlds largest association of eye physicians and
surgeons, is also helping by issuing a new eye disease screening
recommendation for aging adults and is launching a new public initiative
called EyeSmart to educate Americans about the risks they face
The Academy now recommends that adults with no signs or risk factors for
eye disease get a baseline eye disease screening at age 40-the time when
early signs of disease and changes in vision may start to occur Based on
the results of the initial screening, an ophthalmologist will prescribe the
necessary intervals for follow-up exams For individuals at any age with
symptoms of or at risk for eye disease, such as those with a family history
of eye disease, diabetes or high blood pressure, the Academy recommends
that individuals see their ophthalmologist to determine how frequently
their eyes should be examined The new recommendation does not replace
regular visits to the ophthalmologist to treat ongoing disease or injuries,
or vision
examinations for eye glasses or contact lenses
Much like mammograms and diabetes screenings, regular eye exams will help
identify signs of disease at an early stage, when many treatments can have
the greatest impact, said Dr Benevento
EyeSmart, a public service program offered in partnership by EyeCare
American and the Academy, draws upon the combined resources of the Academy,
state and local ophthalmology societies and other partners to deliver
critical information on age-related eye diseases through multiple health
information channels, including doctors offices and grassroots networks
The EyeSmart Web site, wwwgeteyesmartorg, delivers eye disease and risk
information and a searchable database of local ophthalmologists
In order to impact the chief health care decision makers of American
families, EyeSmart will focus on reaching women over 40 These women are
more likely to serve as caregivers for their own families and increasingly
their aging parents, and they frequently act upon and share with friends
and loved ones positive health care information
EyeSmart also aims to reach people who dont traditionally consider
themselves at risk, such as individuals who do not wear
glasses or
contacts The survey revealed that 96 percent of individuals without
glasses or contacts do not think they are at high risk for eye disease
Wearing glasses or contacts has no impact on contracting age-related eye
diseases
Everyone is at risk, some more than others But with early detection and
early treatment we can minimize the damage from potentially blinding
diseases like glaucoma and diabetes comments Dr Benevento
For an executive summary of the survey and more information on specific age-
related eye diseases, visit wwwgeteyesmartorg
About Eye Surgeons Associates
Eye Surgeons Associates located in Bettendorf, Muscatine, Rock Island,
Silvis and Geneseo, provides comprehensive eye care for the entire family,
for a lifetime Our medical doctors are fully fellowship trained in their
specialties and board certified For more information visit us online at
wwwesaeyecarecom Dr Benevento joined Eye Surgeons Associates in 1994
He attended Stanford University, CA, graduating with departmental honors
He first came to the Midwest to attend Washington University in St Louis,
where he completed both his medical training and his residency in
ophthalmology As a board certified
ophthalmologist, Dr Benevento has
special interest in diabetes and the surgical treatment of cataracts with
the latest techniques
About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
The Academy is the worlds largest association of eye physicians and
surgeons - Eye MDs - with more than 27,000 members worldwide Eye
healthcare is provided by three sources - opticians, optometrists and
ophthalmologists It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye MD, who can treat it
all: eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery To find an Eye
MD in your area, visit the Academys Web site at wwwaaoorg
About EyeCare America
Established in 1985, EyeCare America, a public service program of the
Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, is committed to the
preservation of sight, accomplishing its mission through public service and
education EyeCare America provides eye care services to the medically
underserved and for those at increased risk for eye disease through its
corps of 7,200 volunteer ophthalmologists dedicated to serving their
communities More than 90 percent of the care made available is provided
at no out-of-pocket cost to the patients EyeCare America includes
programs for seniors,
glaucoma, diabetes, AMD and children, and is the
largest program of its kind in American medicine Since its inception,
EyeCare America has helped more than 860,000 people EyeCare America is a
non-profit program whose success is made possible through charitable
contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations More
information can be found at: wwweyecareamericaorg
———————–
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CJ]?aJh4;ihaRCJ]?aJhaR5?6?CJaJhÕlhaR5?6?CJaJh9thaR Americans, Eye
Health, and Eye Disease National Survey, Greenberg, Quinlan Rosner
Research Inc, June, 2007 Telephone survey of 1,200 adults Margin of
error /- 28 percentage points
[ii] The Eye Disease Prevalence Research Group, Cause and Prevalence of
Visual Impairment Among Adults in the United States, Archives in
Ophthalmology 2004;122;477-485
Source:eyesurgeonspc.com
