In 2020, more than 1.5 million Ohioans over the age of 40 were affected by vision loss. Prevent Blindness Ohio, a social services agency, reports the rates of vision problems in the state are continuing to rise.
The rising rates of blindness are avoidable if people have access to proper medical care early on, Prevent Blindness Ohio's director of community services David Monder said. Trying to treat blindness later in an individual's life becomes more and more expensive, said.
“The estimated financial burden to Ohio's economy due to vision problems, refractive errors, visual impairment and blindness for all age groups across the board is $6.1 billion annually,” he said.
Prevent Blindness Ohio offers free vision screenings for everyone, including school screenings for children. They also offer referrals for uninsured people.
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