STAT BOX

7 strong stats

Statistics about the prevalence of low vision vary widely. All do, however, point to a vastly underserved market. According to "Vision Problems in the U.S.," a study co-sponsored by the National Eye Institute and Prevent Blindness America, 2.4 million Americans over age 40 are visually impaired, and that's considered by many to be a very conservative estimate.

Here are seven statistics that underscore the immense, and growing, need for low vision services:

No matter how you look at them, these numbers underscore the need for more eyecare professionals to get involved in the field of low vision.

1 Nearly 44 percent of unemployed working-age adults in the U.S. suffer from visual disabilities.

2 Diabetic retinopathy affects more than 5.3 million Americans age 18 and over.

3 45 percent of low vision cases are caused by age-related macular degeneration.

4 The annual cost of services provided to the blind and visually impaired in the U.S. is $22 billion...and growing!

5 Some 2.2 million Americans have already been diagnosed with glaucoma, and another two million don't know they have it.

6 Though not true, more than six out of 10 seniors who are visually impaired say there are no services available to them in their community.

7 Age-related macular degeneration afflicts more than 30 percent of Americans over age 60.

No matter how you look at them, these numbers underscore the need for more eyecare professionals to get involved in the field of low vision.