The Link Between Vision and Overall Health

Vision loss and eye disease present a formidable public health challenge with significant consequences on morbidity, quality of life and costs. Addressing this complex problem requires a broad, population-based strategy with equal access to care and effective monitoring in place. Eye doctors in Lancaster The federal government bears much of this burden due to both direct healthcare expenditures as well as social impacts such as decreased productivity – yet vision and eye health often fall outside national health priorities even at agencies capable of driving coordinated research agendas.

Eyes are more than windows to the world – they provide insight into our bodies and overall health. That’s why regular visits to your primary care physician or ophthalmologist for comprehensive eye examinations – not just to get glasses or contacts but also for signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or even some cancers – is so vital.

Studies demonstrate the negative consequences of vision impairment and diseases that compromise sight on quality of life, and may worsen comorbid conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, stroke and depression. One research study demonstrated how Medicare beneficiaries with glaucoma experienced lower quality-of-life scores and higher costs than their peers without this disease; additionally it’s crucial to recognize that visual impairment accelerates mental deterioration as a direct cause.

Vision Health Priorities In spite of these profound effects, national vision health priorities have not kept pace with those of the general public. A survey found that most Americans consider vision issues serious concerns yet these issues fail to make the list of major public health priorities; thus prompting the American Public Health Association (APHA) to intervene and change this status quo.

As part of an overall vision and eye health promotion strategy, we must create an environment in which vision care becomes part of preventive health visits, accessing affordable eye care is increased and vision questions are included into major national surveys that collect data about chronic diseases. Together with better coordination between federal agencies that conduct research and provide services this will allow us to monitor prevalence rates of vision disorders while devising plans to combat them.