Four out of ten Canadians are unfamiliar with AMD

Wednesday, May 13 2015 | 00 h 00 min | Latest News

Vision health is important to Canadians, but they don’t do what’s necessary to save their sight.

This is the conclusion of the National Vision Health Report, commissioned by Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and published during the 2015 Vision Health Month.

The study found that 92% of respondents believe that eye exams are important and that 82% teach that to their children. Preventing vision loss is the third priority for Canadians, behind heart health and weight management.

However, almost one out of every four respondents has not had their eyes examined in the last two years and 15% do not know when their child’s last eye exam occurred. Knowledge of eye diseases is poor; 40% of respondents do not know what AMD is. Fewer than half of respondents know their family history of eye disease.

This gap prompted CNIB and other eye care organizations to sign the Canadian Patient Charter for Vision Care.

For further information: http://www.cnib.ca/en/get-involved/join-an-event/Vision-Health-Month/Pages/Patient-Charter.aspx