10.1 Background

Vision impairment can be defined as any chronic visual deficit that impairs everyday function and is not correctable by ordinary glasses or contact lenses. Although there have been important strides in the treatment and prevention of eye disease over the past few decades, there still exist many causes of loss for which there is no cure, and thus even with the best medical treatment, many people must live with impaired vision. The leading causes of vision impairment are diseases that are common in the elderly: age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and optic nerve atrophy. Over two-thirds of those with vision impairment are over age 65 years of age.

Vision impairment is included in the ten most prevalent causes of disability in the UK. For older adults, vision impairment has a negative impact on the quality of life equivalent to that of life-threatening conditions such as heart disease and cancer. In children, vision impairment is associated with developmental delays and the need for special educational, vocational, and social services, often beyond childhood into adulthood. In adults, vision impairment is associated with loss of personal independence and difficulty maintaining employment, often leading to the need for disability pensions, vocational and social services, and nursing home or assistive living placement

   10.2 Research Potential