Research
Impact of Low-Vision on Well Being in 10 European Countries
This study’s data, gathered from a large population across Europe, provides evidence that persons with low vision have a higher probability of:
Concentration problems during reading and entertainment
Lessened interest and enjoyment in their activities
Feeling fatigued, irritable, sad, and tearful; have less hope for the future; and wish for death.
Effective measures of early detection, prevention, rehabilitation, education and research, as well as a holistic view of a patient, could help counter these problems, lessen associated medical costs, and improve quality of life.
SUMMARY
Because of the growing life expectancy in developed countries and the exponential increase in vision loss with increasing age, a growing number of elderly persons will eventually suffer from visual impairment and blindness.
This paper describes the association between self-reported vision and well-being in individuals aged 50 years and older and their families. For 22,486 individuals from 10 European countries, lower vision was associated with a highly significant negative impact on all measured aspects of well-being.
These data from a large population base in Europe provide evidence that persons with low vision have a higher probability of concentration problems during reading and entertainment; losing interest and enjoyment in their activities; feeling fatigued, irritable, sad, and tearful; having less hope for the future; and wishing for death.
Effective measures of early detection, prevention, rehabilitation, education and research, as well as a holistic view of a patient, could help counter these problems, thereby improving mental and physical health and reducing the economic impact of low vision.