TORONTO, May 1, 2024
/CNW/ - In time for Vision Health Month this May, the Canadian
Ophthalmological Society, the national authority on eye and vision
care in Canada, has released a new
survey to assess Canadians' awareness, understanding, and concerns
around eye and vision health.
Canadians' familiarity with eye diseases
Of the four
leading eye diseases affecting vision, cataracts and glaucoma are
still the most commonly known among Canadians. Two-thirds (65 per
cent) of survey respondents are familiar with cataracts – a slight
increase from 62 per cent in 2022, and more than half (53 per cent)
are familiar with glaucoma – up from 47 per cent in 2022.
However, more education on other eye diseases is needed. Less
than half (41 per cent) are familiar with age-related macular
degeneration (AMD), despite being one of the leading causes of
vision loss for people over the age of 55 which affects
approximately 2.5 million Canadians. Fewer (25 per cent) are
familiar with diabetic retinopathy, which can affect those living
with diabetes.
"As Canadians become increasingly familiar with the four major
eye diseases, there is a need for continued education to encourage
proactive care," says Dr. Phil
Hooper, president of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society.
"While the survey reveals increased awareness, it also highlights
significant concerns and alarming symptoms experienced by Canadians
over the past two years, emphasizing the necessity for
comprehensive eye health education and regular eye exams."
Eye health concerns and symptoms affecting Canadians' eyes
and vision
When it comes to their eye health, the majority
of Canadians (81 per cent) are concerned or have experienced at
least one factor when it comes to their eyes and vision. Among the
top three are too much screen time (53 per cent);
exposure to sun/UV rays (53 per cent); and
environmental factors, such as wildfire smoke and pollution
(36 per cent). Canadians in BC (49 per
cent) and Alberta (44
per cent) are directionally more concerned with
environmental factors than those in the East.
Other concerns or symptoms experienced include medications
that may produce symptoms impacting vision (i.e. vision loss,
blurriness, etc.) (26 per cent), eye injury at work (i.e. flying
debris, chemical burns, etc.) (24 per cent) and eye injury while
playing sports (i.e. hockey, racquetball, squash etc.)
(20 per cent).
In the past two years, seven-in-ten (71 per cent) Canadians have
experienced one or more symptoms around their eyes or their vision,
with screen time being the leading factor to their symptoms:
- Dry, itchy and irritated eyes due to screen time (34 per
cent)
- Headaches / eye strain due to screen time (30 per cent)
- Sensitivity to light (29 per cent)
- Blurry vision (27 per cent)
- Excessive tearing or watery eyes (26 per cent)
- Seeing halos around lights (17 per cent)
- Redness or swelling of the eyes (16 per cent)
Advancing eye health through innovations
Regarding
innovations in eye health that Canadians would like to see more of,
better access to eye care (51 per cent) and more effective
treatments for eye diseases (48 per cent) top the list, while
nearly four-in-ten (37 per cent) would like to see less invasive
treatments for eye diseases. Few Canadians want the use of
Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a more efficient way to detect
vision/eye problems and eye diseases (19 per cent) and virtual eye
exams (18 per cent).
To learn more about the four major eye diseases and get
information on overall eye health,
visit seethepossibilities.ca.
About the Survey
An online survey of 1605 Canadians
aged 18+ was completed between March 22 and
March 24, 2024, using Leger's online panel. No margin of
error can be associated with a non-probability sample (i.e., a web
panel in this case). For comparative purposes, though, a
probability sample of 1605 respondents would have a margin of error
of ±2.4%, 19 times out of 20. Leger's online panel has
approximately 400,000 members nationally and has a retention rate
of 90%.
About Canadian Ophthalmological Society
The Canadian
Ophthalmological Society (COS) is the national, recognized
authority on eye and vision care in Canada. As eye physicians and surgeons, we are
committed to assuring the provision of optimal medical and surgical
eye care for all Canadians by promoting excellence in ophthalmology
and by providing services to support our members in practice. Our
membership includes over 900 ophthalmologists and 200 ophthalmology
residents. We work collaboratively with government, other national
and international specialty societies, our academic communities
(ACUPO), our provincial partners and affiliates and other eye care
professionals and patient groups to advocate for health policy in
Canada in the area of eye and
vision health. The COS is an accredited, award-winning provider of
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) through the Royal College
of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) and is an affiliate of the
Canadian Medical Association (CMA). For more information, visit
cos-sco.ca.
SOURCE Canadian Ophthalmological Society