Blindness the ailment people fear most

According to the study conducted by researchers at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, nearly half of the 2,044 people surveyed said going blind was the worst possible health outcome, even when compared with life threatening conditions like AIDS, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.They also ranked it as worse than losing a limb, speech, hearing or mory.{{quote-A:R-W:450-Q: Going blind was the worst possible health outcome, even when compared with life threatening conditions like AIDS, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. }}However, the findings revealed that aside from cataracts and glaucoma, less than half of the respondents new about vision threatening diseases like macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy, and one quarter were not aware of any eye conditions at all.Approximately 76% and 58%, respectively, identified sunlight and family heritage as risk factors for losing vision, while only half were aware of smoking risks on vision loss.A related study published in the journal American Family Physician also revealed that blindness is the third most common chronic cause of impaired functioning affecting the quality of life for those beyond the age of 70.The study said the most common eye diseases that affect people in developed countries are age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts. These diseases often do not cause pain or show early symptoms alarming enough to merit medical care.The study underscores the need to reinforce education and awareness programs on eye health, as well as promoting public support for vision research and development.