Objective 28-7
Cataracts
Reduce visual impairment due to cataract
Cataract is a leading cause of vision loss. This disorder sometimes occurs in children, but most frequently occurs in adults age 50 and older. The only treatment for cataract is surgical removal of the lens, followed by implantation of an artifical lens at the time of surgery or the subsequent use of corrective lenses. Approximately 1.35 million cataract operations are performed annually at an estimated cost of $3.5 billion.
Data Source
Baseline: 118.8 per 1,000 persons aged 65 years and older reported they had
trouble seeing and cataracts in 2002 (age adjusted to the year 2000 standard
population).
Target: 91.4 per 1,000 persons 65 years and over.
Target setting method: Better than the best.
Data source: National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Operational definition: This is a valuable tool that allows individuals to set measurable Healthy Vision objectives for their own communities.
|
People 65 years and over |
Rate per 1000 |
|
|
118.8 |
|
Race and ethnicity |
|
American Indian or Alaska Native only |
DSU |
|
Asian or Pacific Islander only |
DNA |
|
Asian only |
DSU |
|
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only |
DSU |
|
Black or African American only |
126.7 |
|
White only |
120.3 |
|
2 or more races |
DSU |
|
American Indian or Alaska Native; White |
DSU |
|
Black or African American; White |
DSU |
|
Hispanic or Latino |
91.5 |
|
Non Hispanic or Latino |
120.7 |
|
Black or African American only, not Hisp/Latino |
127.2 |
|
White only, not Hispanic or Latino |
122.2 |
|
Gender |
|
Female |
130.9 |
|
Male |
102.2 |
|
Education level (persons 25 years and over) |
|
Under 12 years |
147.2 |
|
12 years |
103.1 |
|
13 years and over |
114.0 |
|
Diabetes status |
|
Persons with diabetes |
181.9 |
|
Persons without diabetes |
106.8 |
Legend:
DNA = Data have not been analyzed.
DNC = Data for specific population are not collected.
DSU = Data do not meet the criteria for statistical reliability, data quality, or confidentiality.
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Organizational Resources
If your organization has materials and/or programs to support this objective,contact Linda Huss lmh@nei.nih.gov.
American Academy of Ophthalmology
655 Beach Street
San Francisco, California 94109-1336
Tel: (415) 561-8500
Fax: (415) 561-8533
http://www.aao.org
Contact: Georgia Alward, (415) 447-0258, eyemd@aao.org
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the largest international membership
association of Eye M.D.s. EyeM.D.s are ophthalmologists, medical doctors or doctors of osteopathy who provide
comprehensive eye care, including medical, surgical and optical care. More than 90 percent of practicing U.S. Eye M.D.s are Academy members, and the Academy
has more than 7,000 international members. Academy members are committed to responding compassionately to their patients' individual needs and to advancing
the highest standards of eye care.
Resources
- Cataracts
- Cataract Patient Brochure - a sample brochure is available at no cost by calling (415) 447-0258 or visit the Academy Store to order
- Cataract Surgery Patient Brochure - a sample brochure is available at no cost by calling (415) 447-0258 or visiting the Academy Store to order
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American Optometric Association
1505 Prince Street, Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: (703) 739-9200
Toll Free: 1-800-365-2219 X 4284
http://www.aoa.org
Contact: John C. Whitener, OD, MPH, JCWhitener-OD@aoa.org
The American Optometric Association (AOA) seeks to advance the availability and accessibility of quality eye, vision, and related health care; to represent the profession of optometry; to enhance and promote the independent and ethical decision-making of its members; and to assist doctors of optometry in practicing successfully in accordance with the highest standards of patient care. The Association supports year-round programming to educate Americans about their vision and eye health and encourages people to take steps to preserve and protect their vision. AOA represents over 33,000 doctors of optometry trained in the diagnosis and treatment of eye disease, including the management of cataracts.
Resources
- Answers to Your Questions About Cataracts
- Sample patient education brochures about are available at no cost by calling 1-888-396-EYES (3937) or see the AOA home page for more information at http://www.aoa.org.
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EyeCare America
655 Beach Street
San Francisco, CA 94109-1336
Tel: (415) 561-8500
Fax: (415) 561-8567
http://www.eyecareamerica.org
Contact: Betty Lucas, (451) 447-0381, blucas@aao.org
Founded in 1980, EyeCare America, the public service foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, is committed to the preservation of sight, accomplishing its mission through public service and education.
EyeCare America's public service program provides access to eye care for the medically underserved and for those at increased risk for eye disease through its corps of 7,500 volunteer ophthalmologists dedicated to serving their communities. More than 90 percent of the care made available through EyeCare America is provided at no out-of-pocket cost to the patients. Public service includes programs for seniors, glaucoma, diabetes and children, and is the largest program of its kind in American medicine.
Since its inception, EyeCare America's public service program has processed more than 644,000 calls, provided services to 347,000 people and treated more than 180,000 cases of eye disease.
EyeCare America offers multiple eye care programs for which individuals may qualify. Callers will be automatically screened to determine the program that provides the best appropriate eye care service.
The Seniors EyeCare Program (SEP) helps to ensure that all eligible seniors have access to medical eye care and promotes annual, dilated eye exams. SEP raises awareness about age-related eye disease, including cataracts, provides free eye care educational materials and facilitates access to eye care.
People eligible for a referral through the program receive a comprehensive, medical eye exam and up to one year of treatment-at no out-of-pocket expense-for any disease diagnosed during the initial exam. Volunteer ophthalmologists accept Medicare and/or other insurance reimbursement as payment in full.
The Seniors EyeCare Program is designed for people who:
- Are US citizens or legal residents
- Are age 65 and older
- Have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years
- Do not have eye care insurance through an HMO or the VA
Resources
- Senior EyeCare Program referral call 800.222.EYES (3937) toll-free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year
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Lighthouse International
111 East 59 Street
New York, NY 10022-1202
Tel: (212) 821-9200
Toll Free: 1-800-829-0500
http://www.lighthouse.org
Contact: info@lighthouse.org
Lighthouse International, a resource worldwide on vision impairment and vision rehabilitation, is dedicated to enabling people of all ages who are blind or partially sighted to lead independent and productive lives. Through its Information and Resource Service info@lighthouse.org, information about eye diseases as well as national and International vision rehabilitation services and resources for people with impaired vision of all ages is available.
Lighthouse International is conducting a national public awareness campaign entitled Vision Loss is Not a Normal Part of Aging--Open Your Eyes to the Facts! Free publications, promotional poster and bookmark feature the difference between normal changes in the aging eye and those changes caused by eye disease as well as the benefits of vision rehabilitation.
Additional Publications
- Cataract and the Aging Eye
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Lions Clubs International
300 W 22nd Street
Oak Brook, IL 60523-8842
Tel: (630) 571-5466
Fax: (630) 571-1692
http://www.lionsclubs.org
Contact: Deborah O'Malley, domalley@lionsclubs.org Lions Clubs International has over 14,000 clubs in the United States (44,000 clubs worldwide) which provide community service and promote better International relations. As each community's needs and resources are unique, Lions club programs may vary across the nation; however, the major health programs Lions have established are sight conservation and work with the blind, diabetes awareness, and hearing and speech action and work with the deaf. Lions may provide assistance so that a needy person may obtain a comprehensive eye exam and necessary sight saving surgery. Contact the International headquarters office for information regarding clubs within your area. Resources
- Blindness: Are You At Risk? (IAD 182)
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Maryland Society for Sight
1313 West Old Cold Spring Lane
Baltimore, MD 21209
Tel: (410) 243-2020
Contact: Kathleen M. Curtin, mdsocietyforsight@erols.com
The Maryland Society's mission is to prevent blindness and preserve sight for Marylanders. The Society provides educational information to the public on cataracts and counsels people at screenings on the importance of regular dilated eye examinations.
The Society distributes the following brochure produced by Prevent Blindness America:
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National Association for Visually Handicapped
22 West 21st Street
New York, NY 10010
Tel: (212) 889-3141
Contact: Lorraine H. Marchi, Founder/CEO, staff@navh.org
NAVH is the only voluntary national health agency serving solely the "hard of seeing"-not the totally blind. It offers cataract information in large print for laypersons, targeting those afflicted and at risk. It maintains a large print, free-by-mail, loan library of over 7,000 titles. In addition, NAVH provides daily one-on-one visual aid counseling, individual and group emotional support, educational outreach to the public and to professionals in the low vision field, advocacy, and referrals. There are daily responses to mail, phone and Website inquiries. A vital senior outreach program, funded by the Reader's Digest Fund for the Blind, Inc., also provides daily opportunities to address the need for low vision members of senior centers and residents of senior facilities, to pursue early detection through timely eye exams.
Resources (Most in large print)
- Cataracts (In English or Russian)
- A Patient's Guide to Visual Aids and Illumination (In English or Russian)
- Classification of Impaired Vision
- Eye-Q Test (In English, Russian, or Spanish)
- Heartbreak of Being "A Little Bit Blind"
- How to Develop a Self-Help Group for Elders Losing Eyesight
- It's All Right to be Angry
- Large Print Loan Library Catalog
- Problem of the Partially Seeing
- Sensitivity to People with Partial Eyesight (In English or Russian)
- Visual Aids and Informational Materials Catalog
- What Every Low Vision Patient Should Know... (In English, Russian or Spanish)
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National Eye Institute (NEI)
31 Center Drive MSC 2510
Bethesda, MD 20892-2510
Tel: (301) 496-5248
http://www.nei.nih.gov
Contact: Rosemary Janiszewski, rjaniszewski@nei.nih.gov The NEI, part of the National Institutes of Health, is the Federal government's principal agency for conducting and supporting vision research. The NEI is currently conducting the Age-Related Eye Disease Study, a nation wide clinical study to learn more about the risk factors for cataract and AMD. One component of the study is examining whether certain vitamins and minerals (vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc) have an impact on the diseases.
Resources
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Prevent Blindness America
211 West Wacker Dr.
Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60606
Tel: (312) 363-6001
Toll Free: 800-331-2020
www.preventblindness.org
Contact: Christine A. Bradley MS M.Ed cbradley@preventblindness.org
Prevent Blindness America provides a wide range of online and downloadable information on home and sports eye safety. www.preventblindness.org/safety offers extensive information about protecting children and adults from eye injuries in the home and while playing sports. Resources include sections on choosing safe toys for children, protecting children from hazards in the home and purchasing protective eyewear for sports activities. Web visitors can also request free safety brochures that can be mailed to their homes.
Resources
- Eye Health and Safety educational brochures are available at no cost by calling 1-800-331-2020 or visit PBA's home page for more information at http://www.preventblindness.org.
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Sight & Hearing Association
674 Transfer Road
St. Paul, MN 55114-1402
Tel: (651) 645-2546, ext. 12
http://www.sightandhearing.org
Contact: Julee Sylvester, jlps@sightandhearing.org
The Sight & Hearing Association (SHA) is a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing vision and hearing loss through screening, education and research. SHA coordinates public awareness campaigns and disseminates information related to cataracts.
Fact sheets
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