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Certain eye diseases and
conditions may occur with higher incidence in some population groups.
Race, gender, family history, or age may place a person at higher
risk for vision-impairing or vision-threatening disorders. These
individuals at higher risk for eye disease should get a dilated
eye examination by an optometrist to detect signs of these conditions
and to prevent permanent damage.
In the United States, diabetes is responsible for 8 percent of legal
blindness, making it the leading cause of new cases of blindness
in adults 20-74 years of age. Every year, from 12,000 to 24,000
people lose their sight because of diabetes-related vision problems.
Glaucoma, cataracts, and corneal disease are more common in people
with diabetes and contribute to the high rate of blindness. In fact,
people with diabetes are almost twice as likely to develop glaucoma
and cataracts than are people without diabetes. The longer someone
has had diabetes, the more common it is for individuals to have
glaucoma. Risk also increases with age. People with diabetes also
tend to get cataracts at a younger age and have them progress faster.
Finally, the longer someone has had diabetes, the more likely they
are to have diabetic retinopathy, a term for all disorders of the
retina caused by diabetes.
Race:
African Americans: Approximately 2.3 million or 10.8 percent of
all African Americans have diabetes, however, one-third of them
do not know it. African Americans are 1.7 times more likely to have
diabetes than non-Latino whites. Twenty-five percent of African
Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have diabetes and twenty-five
percent of African American women over age 55 have diabetes. African
Americans are twice as likely to suffer from diabetes-related blindness.
In addition, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in this
population. The disease is six to eight times more prevalent and
causes blindness six times more often in African Americans than
in the general population.
Hispanics/Latinos: The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is two times
higher in Latinos than non--Latino whites. Just over 10 percent
(1.2 million) of all Mexican Americans have diabetes. Approximately
24 percent of Mexican Americans and 26 percent of Puerto Ricans
between the ages of 45-74 have diabetes. Nearly 16 percent of Cuban
Americans between the ages of 45-74 have diabetes. The prevalence
of diabetic retinopathy in Mexican Americans is 32-40 percent.
Native Americans: Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions among
Native Americans. Prevalence of Type 2 diabetes among Native Americans
is 12.2 percent for those over 19 years old. One tribe in Arizona
has the highest rate of diabetes in the world with about 50 percent
of the adults between age 30 and 64 having diabetes. Complications
from diabetes are major causes of death and health problems in most
Native American populations. Diabetic retinopathy occurs in 18 percent
of Pima Indians and 24.4 percent of Oklahoma Indians.
Caucasian Americans: The incidence of age-related macular degeneration
(AMD) is higher in Caucasians than African Americans and Asians,
among whom it has been reported to be rare.
Asians: The prevalence of myopia (nearsightedness) increases in
school-age children and young adults from birth; it reaches 20-25
percent in the mid to late teenage population and 25-35 percent
in young adults in the United States and developed countries. It
is reported to be higher in some areas of Asia.
Gender:
Women: Early studies showed that females have a higher incidence
of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) than males, but this may
have been attributed to greater life expectancy. Females also demonstrate
an earlier age of onset of AMD.
Some studies have found a slightly higher prevalence of myopia in
females than in males.
Family History:
Myopia: Studies have shown a 33-60 percent prevalence of myopia
in children whose parents both have myopia. In children who have
one parent with myopia, the prevalence was 23-40 percent. Most studies
found that when neither parent has myopia, only 6-15 percent of
the children were myopic. A difference in the prevalence of myopia
as a function of parental history exists even for children in their
first few years of school.
Glaucoma: Close relatives of people with primary open angle glaucoma
have a 3-6 times higher incidence of the disease. The risk may be
greater in siblings than in parents or children.
AMD: Some genetic predisposition for AMD seems to exist, and 10-20
percent of patients with AMD have at least one first-degree family
member with vision loss. Studies have reported AMD with vision loss
in at least one parent or sibling of affected parents.
Age:
Over 40: You don't have to be a senior to have a cataract. In fact,
some people between age 40-50 can have an age-related cataract,
but these cataracts are mild and do not yet affect vision.
Myopia is somewhat less prevalent in the population over age 45
years, reaching about 20 percent in 65-year olds, and decreasing
to as low as 14 percent of persons in their seventies.
Over 60: At this point, most cataracts begin to affect vision. In
addition, age is a significant risk factor with AMD, but not a guarantee.
However, it is likely that the number of people with AMD will increase
dramatically as the number of seniors in the United States increases.
Because some types of AMD begin at a later age, increased longevity
may result in a higher incidence of vision loss from this disease.
Statistical information regarding diabetes compiled by the American
Diabetes Association.
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