One of the biggest health fears for Americans is losing their eyesight, with 88 per cent saying good vision was vital to their general wellbeing.
In a survey of more than 2,000 respondents commissioned by non-profit health organisation, Research!America, 47 per cent said losing their vision would impose the biggest impact on their lives.
Indeed, the results, which were published in JAMA Ophthalmology, equated blindness to losing their memory, hearing, speech or a limb.
It is not a surprise so many Americans are concerned about eyesight loss, with two-thirds of those taking part in the survey already wearing glasses or using contact lens cases for their lenses.
Study authors wrote: “These findings underscore the importance of good eyesight to most and that having good vision is key to one’s overall sense of wellbeing, irrespective of ethnic or racial demographic.”
While so many people are concerned about their eyesight, 25 per cent of those surveyed were not aware of any eye conditions.
Comparatively, 66 per cent were worried about cataracts, 63 per cent were aware of glaucoma, 50 per cent had heard of macular degeneration, and 37 per cent knew what diabetic retinopathy was.
This comes after Optometry Today reported that one in 12 adults in Britain last year wore contact lenses, with four million – or eight per cent of – adults between 15 and 64 using them.
Sales reached £268 million in 2015, an increase of six per cent from 2014, while the number of wearers rose by four per cent during the 12 months.
This either shows more people are favouring contact lenses over glasses these days, or people’s vision are deteriorating.
