WASHINGTON – Results from a survey conducted by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), with the support of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, highlight the need to raise awareness of the risk of eye disease. The NYSDOH has recently released its analysis of the data, which is based on a telephone survey of 4,258 people aged 40 and older conducted in 2006. New York is one of the first states to include vision related questions in the survey of health-related behaviors, called the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which is conducted in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

“These data are extremely valuable in the fight against age-related disease,” said H. Dunbar Hoskins, Jr., MD, executive vice president of the Academy. “By identifying the areas where behavior and access present barriers to supporting eye health, the survey will help identify problems and target disease prevention activities where they are needed most.”

Among the key findings of the New York survey:

• One in six adults has distance vision impairment, based on their ability to recognize a friend across the street.
• More than a third of New Yorkers aged 40 and older have not visited an eye care professional in the past year. Almost half of those who have not visited an eye care professional said that they had no reason to do so.

Based on the data, the NYSDOH estimates that more than 1.5 million New Yorkers have cataracts. In order of prevalence, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy affect more than 1 million additional New Yorkers.

“This survey highlights the importance of educating New Yorkers about their risk for eye disease,” said Diane J. Kraus, MD, president of the New York State Ophthalmological Society. “Even though you have no symptoms of eye disease, you can still be at risk for a potentially blinding disease. It’s important to have a baseline eye disease screening in order to catch diseases before they damage your vision.”   

As part of its EyeSmart campaign, the Academy 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.

The BRFSS uses a telephone interview of a random sample of adults to gather data about health behaviors, risk factors, clinical practices, health care access and health-related outcomes. The CDC provides significant financial assistance to all states to conduct the surveys, but funding is limited to surveying a core set of questions. The Academy provided financial support to the NYSDOH to help defray the costs of adding the vision module to the state survey. 

New York is one of the first states in the nation to include vision-related questions in its survey. The vision questions focused on age-related eye diseases including retinopathy, glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataract, as well as work-related eye injuries. A key question about the last time the respondent had an eye exam will help the state monitor trends in obstacles to care.

The prevalence of visual impairment, often a chronic and disabling condition in adults, will rise as the population ages and as conditions like diabetes that are linked to eye problems increase. Current estimates indicate that three percent of Americans aged 40 and older are either blind or visually impaired. The public health costs of blindness and low vision are estimated at $68 billion annually nationwide.

To read more about the survey, please visit http://www.nyhealth.gov/nysdoh/brfss/reports/index.htm

For more information about the risk factors for eye disease, please visit www.geteyesmart.org

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology
AAO is the world's largest association of eye physicians and surgeons—Eye M.D.s—with more than 27,000 members worldwide.  Eye health care is provided by the three “O’s” – opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists. It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D., who can treat it all: eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery. To find an Eye M.D. in your area, visit the Academy's Web site at www.aao.org.