VISION IMPAIRMENT 

Research Highlights

• 51% of the Canadian population aged 12 or older has a vision problem (2003).
• Seniors account for 23% of all people with vision problems (2003).
• It is estimated that the annual cost of blindness in Canada is close to $41 billion, based on Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) registry data, disability benefits, and tax exemptions.
• The main social service issues affecting individuals who are blind, vision impaired or deaf-blind (BVID) are:
  • Unemployment rates. They are significantly higher than those with other disabilities and among the general population.
  • Education opportunities for school-aged and pre-school children. Children have unique learning needs associated with skills required to accommodate or compensate for the effect of vision loss on learning and development.

Current Situation in Guelph-Wellington

• In 2001, 53% of the population of Guelph and Wellington aged 12 and older reported having a vision problem.

Vision Impairment 
Vision loss can affect people of all ages, but it is more common among people 60 years and older. Some vision loss can be prevented, while other conditions may be hereditary or develop as people age.
 
Vision impairment varies, and therefore, people have widely differing abilities to see. Some people may be totally blind. Others may be able to perceive light, or may be able to distinguish shadows and colours. Some have enough vision to see fairly well in most situations, especially when the lighting is correct. For example, a person with a condition like macular degeneration may not be able to read, but may have excellent travel vision. A person with glaucoma may be gradually suffering a loss of vision to the side, which makes walking difficult, yet still may be able to read.

Types of Vision Impairment
The major causes and effects of vision impairment are ¹:

• Age-related Macular Degeneration – Causes distortion or loss of central vision in older people, resulting in difficulties with activities such as reading and recognizing faces.
• Diabetic Retinopathy – Symptoms include blurring and patchiness in vision. The underlying cause is diabetes.
• Glaucoma – Causes tunnel vision and affects safe movement and driving.
• Cataracts – Causes blurring of vision and increased sensitivity to glare, but can be corrected by surgery.
• Retinal Detachment –This is a serious problem that usually affects middle-aged or older people. If it is not treated immediately, it will lead to vision problems or even vision loss. In most cases the retina detaches because of small tears or holes.
• Retinitis Pigmentosa – Refers to a group of diseases, which tend to run in families and cause slow, but progressive, loss of vision. The cause has not been clearly identified.

Incidence and Prevalence
According to data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) ^{2 3}:

• In 2003, 51% of Canadians aged 12 and older reported having a vision problem.
• Specific to Guelph and Wellington, in 2001, 53% of the population aged 12 and older reported having a vision problem.
  

Seniors

• In 2003, seniors made up only 14% of the overall population surveyed, yet they accounted for 23% of all people with vision problems.
• Seniors accounted for nearly 20% of all consultations with eye doctors.  

Cataracts

• Approximately 244,766 cataract operations were performed in Canada in 2001.
• Between 1994/1995 and 2003, the proportion of seniors with cataracts rose from 14% to 20%.

Glaucoma

• In 2003, at least 300,000 Canadians were affected with glaucoma, with 50% of patients unaware of their disease.
• In 2003, 241,000 seniors (6%) had glaucoma. Prevalence increased with age, peaking in the oldest age group.

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

• Recent surveys estimate that nearly 80,000 Canadians are currently affected with AMD and as Canadians age that number is growing at a rate of 10,000 per year.
• In 2000, almost 50% of new CNIB clients were diagnosed with AMD.

Children Under 12

• In 2001, the prevalence of undetected vision problems such as amblyopia, strabismus, and errors of refraction in preschool children was estimated to be 5-10%.

Financial Cost of Blindness 
It is estimated the annual cost of blindness in Canada is close to $1 billion, based on CNIB registry data, disability benefits, and tax exemptions ⁴. Research is underway to determine the true economic impact of visual disability in Canada.

Learning New Methods to Maintain Independence 
When an individual begins to lose their vision, the tasks of daily living may become difficult or impossible. When vision loss is severe, individuals may need to find new ways of doing things. This may entail learning how to use a cane, a sighted guide, or a dog guide. Mobility training is, therefore, of vital importance to many people with a visual impairment, as it can help to develop the skills required to get about safely and independently. It can also promote confidence to enable individuals to travel alone, cross roads or use public transportation. Similarly, an individual will need to master new ways to cope with the tasks of daily living, such as cooking, writing, and managing money. Rehabilitation programs play a key role in teaching the individual practical skills for daily living.

Community Supports & Services (Non-Medical)
Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) is a national voluntary agency providing services to people who are blind, visually impaired and deaf-blind to enhance their independence. CNIB services include counselling and referral, sight enhancement (a vision rehabilitation worker will help partially sighted individuals use their remaining vision more effectively), rehabilitation (clients learn practical skills for daily living), orientation and mobility, library services, technical aids, career development and employment, early childhood intervention program, volunteer services, regional assessment centre, deaf blind services, transitional training centre, family resource room, and support groups.
 
Evergreen Seniors Centre offers a vision support group for older adults with blindness or vision loss. Guest speakers, discussions and topics of interest are included.
 
Guelph Canadian Council of the Blind is a social and information sharing club run by the blind and visually impaired. They provide services for the blind, visually impaired, and their caregivers.
 
Of the above mentioned services the United Way of Guelph & Wellington funds the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and its four programs: Counselling and Referral Services, Orientation and Mobility Instruction, Rehabilitation Training, and Library Services.

What are the Social Service Issues in Guelph and Wellington?

Employment Opportunities
The job market is becoming increasingly complex, making it difficult for people with vision loss to maintain employment. Unemployment among people who are blind, vision impaired or deaf-blind (BVID) is significantly higher than those with other disabilities, and especially among the general population. Four major employment barriers for BVID individuals include: (i) access to information, (ii) access to technology, (iii) ergonomics, and (iv) social and business integration ⁵.

Education Opportunities for School-aged and Pre-school Children
It is increasingly imperative for children with vision loss to participate effectively in school. Children and youth who are described as blind or visually impaired comprise a heterogeneous population. While these individuals share a common trait of some degree of vision loss, mild through to total blindness, they represent a broad spectrum of characteristics specific to such areas as cognitive ability, level of independence, physical agility, severity of disability, and presence of additional disabilities. Children who are blind and visually impaired have unique learning needs associated with skills required to accommodate or compensate for the effect of vision loss on learning and development. The extent to which individuals with visual loss impairments are empowered to assume meaningful roles in our society relates directly to the success with which their unique educational needs are identified and addressed.

1. The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (2005). Eye Health. Retrieved June 13, 2005, from  http://www.cnib.ca/vision-health/eye-health/index.htm.
2. Statistics Canada (2001). Canadian Community Health Survey – Cycle 1.1. Ottawa, Ontario: Statistics Canada.
3. Ibid.
4. The National Coalition for Vision Health (2005). Data and Statistics. Retrieved May 28, 2005, from http://www.visionhealth.ca/data/htm.
5. Fok, D. & Sutarno, C. (2003). Overcoming Barriers: Workplace Accommodation for People with Vision Impairment. Paper presented at the 2003 Association of Canadian Ergonomics Conference, London Ontario. Retrieved June 15, 2005, from http://www.aceconf.ca/2003engdetailedprogram.html.