Americans' Greatest Health Fear? Going Blind

A study conducted by the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that most Americans deem loss of vision as the worst thing that could happen to them even when compared to memory loss, loss of speech, hearing or loss of limb or having HIV/AIDS. Despite the fact that most Americans consider going blind as the worst thing that can happen, many remain unaware of the factors or the diseases that can lead to vision loss. The most important thing people can do is have a complete eye exam at least every two years if not yearly. Early diagnosis of certain conditions can prevent damage to vision. The leading cause of vision loss in Americans over the age of 60 is macular degeneration. Eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and taking supplements that support macular health can help prevent the onset of macular degeneration. Three other vision-robbing conditions are diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. Monitoring glucose and blood pressure can help prevent vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy and keeping ocular pressure low can help reduce the effects of glaucoma. Cataracts can be removed via surgery and the surgery is done on an outpatient basis.*