Survey shows Americans underestimate AMD prevalence

An independent survey found that 74% of Americans are unaware that the leading cause of blindness in U.S. individuals older than 60 years is age-related macular degeneration, according to a press release from CentraSight.

The survey was commissioned by the company for February’s AMD Awareness Month and conducted by Wakefield Research. The 1,014 participants were nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18 and older.

The top incorrect answer on the leading cause of blindness was glaucoma. Additional results from the survey found that 35% of the participants who know someone with AMD assist them frequently. The survey found that 66% of the participants reported they were somewhat or not confident in their ability to provide care for a family member should they develop AMD. And 86% of the participants had not heard of the telescope implant as a treatment for end-stage AMD.

Projections estimate from this that by 2020 the number of people in the U.S. with AMD will reach 20 million, based on survey findings that 43% of Americans today, age 65 and older, have or know someone with AMD (equivocally, 20 million Americans).

A new website sponsored by CentraSight, AMDAffectsMe.com, was designed to educate patients and their loved ones about AMD diagnosis, progression and treatment. It includes stories of care giving and tips from doctors to care givers.