The Underprivileged

Researchers for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found a correlation between poverty and severe vision loss. However, researchers could not say for certain whether poverty was the result of their poor vision, or if bad eyesight was the result of low socio-economic status.

One thing for certain is that poverty afflicts Americans of all colors.  Underprivileged persons are deprived of the opportunities and advantages of other members of one’s community.

“Severe vision loss (SVL) could be a consequence of poverty,” the researchers speculated. “Alternatively, persons with SVL often have limited access to education and employment opportunities, which might, in turn, decrease their earning potential.”

“Previous studies on the link between a person’s lower socioeconomic status and visual impairment, eye diseases, and ocular risk factors have found that access to and use of healthcare are important factors in the relationship between visual impairment and socioeconomic status,” the researchers stated. “Further investigations are needed to better understand the socio-demographic disparities of vision loss, how to minimize risk factors associated with vision loss, and how to improve access and use of eye care services.”

The most common causes of adult vision problems are: cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.