FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information: Prevent Blindness Ohio
Laura Schwartz
Phone: 800-301-2020 ext. 112
E-mail: [email protected]
Columbus, OH (May 9, 2013)–Aging eye diseases including age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma were the focal point at The Aging Eye: Today’s Treatments-Tomorrow’s Hope .The event was held on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine.
The unique format of the summit was presented to a sold-out crowd of 150 participants. The program included public health, social service, clinical and research facets. The summit, which was open to the public, presented information of interest to public health and rehabilitation professionals, patients and caregivers, aging network professionals, vision researchers, clinicians and eye care professionals, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, students and leaders from government, as well as others interested in vision related issues.
With the growth in Ohio’s aging population and the increased incidence of diabetes, the prevalence of age-related eye disease and vision loss is a growing public health and personal concern for older Ohioans and their families. The personal human cost of vision loss is immeasurable while the economic costs are significant.
The 2012 Vision Problems in the U.S. report on the four leading causes of vision loss indicate alarming increases in Ohio since the 2000 report was issued:
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88,546 people age 50 and older have age-related macular degeneration, a 25% increase
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991, 628 people age 40 and older have cataracts, a 13% increase
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105, 889 people age 40 and older have open-angle glaucoma, a 15% increase
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284,631 people age 40 and older have diabetic retinopathy, a 31% increase
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The number of Ohio seniors affected by aging eye diseases is expected to double over the next 20 years as the Baby Boomer generation ages
The summit was hosted by Ohio’s Aging Eye Public/Partnership, Prevent Blindness Ohio, Case Western Reserve University Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and University Hospitals Eye Institute.
About Prevent Blindness Ohio
Prevent Blindness Ohio, founded in 1957, is Ohio’s leading volunteer nonprofit public health organization dedicated to prevent blindness and preserve sight. We serve all 88 Ohio counties, providing direct services to more than 800,000 Ohioans annually and educating millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their precious gift of sight. Prevent Blindness Ohio is an affiliate of Prevent Blindness America, the country’s second-oldest national voluntary health organization. For more information or to make a donation call 800-301-2020 or visit us on the web at pbohio.org.
Left to right: Heithem El-Hodiri, PhD-Co-Chair Vision Research Sub-Committee, Ohio’s Aging Eye Public Private Partnership and Principal Investigator, The Center for Molecular Genetics, Nationwide Children’s Hospital; Sherry Williams-President & CEO, Prevent Blindness Ohio and Keynote Speaker-John E. Crews, DPA-Health Scientist, Vision Health Initiative, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
Left to right: Dr. Rafat R. Ansari, PhD, Fellow SPIE-Co-Chair, Ohio’s Aging Eye Public Private Partnership and Senior Scientist, NASA John H. Glenn Research Center and Jonathan Lass, MD-Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology and Director, University Hospitals Eye Institute.
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