Americans are increasingly susceptible to blindness as they grow older, with three out of 100 of those over 40 years old suffering impaired vision. Almost 1 million Americans older than 40 were blind in 2000, and over 2 million people in this age group suffered diminished vision, leaving them unable to drive a vehicle or perform other tasks. It's estimated that 6 million Americans over 40 years would be visually impaired by 2020. The most common conditions leading to vision loss include:
Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to protect your eyesight as you age.
Reuters April 12, 2004