“Vision loss robs people of their independence, mobility and quality of life, and costs taxpayers an estimated $4 billion annually,” said Daniel D. Garrett, Prevent Blindness America (PBA) spokesperson.

In the following eye disease information, you will see how crucial research is to preventing blindness and finding a cure for the diseases that cause it.

Advanced Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
AMD is the deterioration of the part of the retina, called the macula, that provides the central vision you use when you read or drive. Approximately 12 million of you are now affected by AMD, and the vision of an additional 7.3 million are at high risk for the disease! Some studies report more than 200,000 new cases of AMD in the United States each year!

Research has shown that lutein supplements may help improve vision for those who have “dry” AMD—the most common, and least severe, form of the disease.

The benefits of the artificial silicon retina chip is still being studied, but has shown some promise in helping people with AMD and other retina diseases regain some of their vision

Cataracts
A cataract occurs when the protein in the eye’s lens clumps together and clouds that portion of the lens. Approximately 20.5 million of you are affected by cataracts, but this figure will climb to 30.1 million by 2020!

Prior to the mid-1980s, surgeons did not have a way to extract the cataract without damaging or removing the capsule. However, surgeons now have the modern cataract surgery technique known as phacoemulsification, which allows them to implant an intraocular lens (IOL) into the intact lens capsule that remains.

In the 1990s, foldable IOL technology reduced problems because it allowed for a much smaller incision which made the procedure less invasive. Because of research advances, the success rate of cataract surgery in the U.S. has been boosted to more than 95 percent!

Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas stops producing enough insulin or the body loses its ability to process the insulin correctly, and the negative changes the disease causes to the retina’s circulatory system is known as diabetic retinopathy. Approximately 4.1 million of you are affected by diabetic retinopathy, and this number will grow to 7.2 million by 2020! Diabetic retinopathy causes up to 24,000 new cases of blindness each year. Of the more than 23 million Americans with diabetes, about 6 million do not even know they have the disease, and close to half a million die every year from complications of the disease.

Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve, the major nerve of vision. The disease begins with a subtle loss of peripheral (or side) vision and results in vision loss and possible blindness. According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, more than 4 million of you are affected by glaucoma. And the disease is six to eight times more common in African-Americans. Also, if your eye’s intraocular pressure (IOP) is raised, your cornea is thin, your optic nerve anatomy is abnormal, you’re over age 60, diabetic or have a family member with glaucoma—you are at higher risk for glaucoma.

But there is good news! Treatment for glaucoma has improved greatly in the last decade with improvements in eye surgery, laser surgery and microsurgery as well as eye medicines in eye drop form. The glaucoma drug, prostaglandin analogues, was introduced in the U.S. in 1996.

Ways to Help Prevent Eye Disease
As you can see, eye disease and the chance of blindness is a growing concern for Americans. But there is ongoing research to find ways to protect your eyes, as well as studies to find safe and effective treatments once an eye disease has developed. In order to help address the growing numbers of Americans at risk for blindness, PBA has launched a research grant within the last few years, and awarded its first annual Investigator Award to three researchers working on differing sight-saving research projects.

But one important fact has already been discovered to promote good eye health. Proper eye health is directly related to good nutrition! So to prevent eye diseases, a well-balanced diet is a good start, but the eyes have special nutritional needs so it is very difficult to get just the right combination of the powerful ingredients in what we eat in our regular diets. How often do you see eye-specific nutrients like lutein, eyebright, bilberry, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene in your daily diet? So eat well that you may see well!