`
`vai Centers for Disease —
`,“4 Control and Prevention
`
`Vision Loss: A Public Health Problem
`Recently, Saaddine, Venkat Narayan & Vinicor (2003) posed five criteria that define whether vision loss is a pubic health
`problem theyare:
`
`1. Does vision loss affect a lot of people?
`
`Yes. More than 3.4 million Americans aged 40 years and olderare blind (having a visual acuity of 20/200 orless or a visual
`field on 20 degreesorless) or visually impaired (having a visual acuity of 20/40 or less). Other estimates of “vision problems”
`range as high as 21 million, and a total of 80 million Americans have potentially blinding eye diseases. The major causes of
`vision loss are cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma.
`
`2. Does vision loss contribute a large burden in termsof morbidity,
`quality of life, and cost?
`
`Yes. People with vision loss are morelikely to report depression, diabetes, hearing impairment, stroke,falls, cognitive decline,
`and premature death. Decreased ability to see often leadsto the inability to drive, read, keep accounts, and travelin
`unfamiliar places, thus substantially compromising quality oflife. The cost of vision loss, including direct costs and lost
`productivity, is estimated to exceed $35billion (Rein, Zhang, Wirth, et al., 2006)
`
`3. Has vision loss recently increased andwill it increase in the future?
`
`Yes. As the population of older people continues to accelerate, the numberof people experiencing vision loss will continue to
`increase. And as the population of people experiencing diabetes increases, consequentincreaseswill occur in diabetic
`retinopathy and other eye diseases. Prevent Blindness America estimates that the population of people experiencing
`blindness and visual impairment will double by 2030 unless corrective actions are taken.
`
`/,. Is vision loss perceived to be a threat by the public?
`Yes. Vision loss ranks amongthetop ten causesof disability in the United States, and it is a condition feared by many.
`
`5. Is it feasible to act on vision loss at a community or public health level?
`Yes. Scientific evidence showsthat early detection and treatment can prevent muchblindness andvision impairment.
`Efficacious and cost-effective strategies to detect and treat diabetic retinopathy are available, but among people with
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`Exhibit 2167
`Page 01 of 02
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`Rein DB, Zhang P, Wirth KE, et al. The economic burden of major adult visual disorders in the United States. Arch.Ophthalmol
`2006;124(12):1754-1760. Abstract 4
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`Gohdes DM,BalamuruganA, Larson BA, Maylahn C (2005). Age-related eye diseases: an emerging challenge for public health
`professionals. Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy 2005:2(3); 1-6.
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`Ferris FL Tielsch JM. Blindness and visual impairment: a public health issue for the future as well as today. Archives of
`Ophthalmology 2004:122; 451-452.
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`CrewsJE. (2003). The role of public health in addressing aging and sensory loss. Generations 2003:27(1); 83-90.
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`CrewsJE, KirchnerC, Lollar DJ. The view from the crossroads of public health and vision (re)habilitation. Journal of Visual
`Impairment and Blindness 2006:100; 773-779.
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`Page last reviewed: June 12, 2020
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`Exhibit 2167
`Page 02 of 02
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