Shocking Vision Statistics
By Essilor News
Eyesight is often considered the most important of the five senses, that's why it's vital to take care of your eyes. World Sight Day is the perfect opportunity to not only promote your eye health but also raise awareness about the importance of good vision.
On October 9, people around the world will celebrate World Sight Day by raising awareness about the importance of good vision. And one of the best ways to raise awareness is to get educated on vision facts and spread the word. Check out these shocking facts about vision:
Uncorrected Vision Problems
About 2.5 billion people see poorly but don't have corrected vision, yet 80% of those vision problems are preventable. Poor vision greatly impacts the global economy. There is a potential annual global productivity loss of $269,000,000 associated with uncorrected vision problems.
Children
Poor vision not only affects a child's eyesight, it can also affect his/her health, school progress, and societal integration. In fact, 80% of whatchildren learn is acquired though visual processing. The risk of a child failing one grad is more than 3 times higher for children who have worse than 20/20 vision. Children's eyes are also more susceptible to UV damage with 80% of all UV exposure occurring before the age of 18.
Driving
23% of drivers have uncorrected vision problems worldwide. According to an Italian study, 60% of road accident costs can be linked to vision. In 2012, the cost of road accidents in the United Kingdom due to poor driver vision was estimated to be more than $55,000,000.
Eye Injuries
More than 2.5 million eye injuries occur every year with 100,000 of those injuries happening in the United States. Fortunately, 90% of those eye injuries can be prevented with the use of protective eyewear.
Cataracts
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the world and affect more than 24 million Americans over the age of 40. There are several factors that may cause cataracts including exposure to UV rays, diabetes, and smoking. Cataracts are so common that more than 2 million Americans undergo cataract surgery every year.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness, affects more than 2.3 million Americans age 40 and over, and another 2 million do not know they have the disease.