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Research at New England Eye Center
What's more precious to the quality of life than
sight? Considering its importance to every aspect of day-to-day
existence and the degree to which it enriches our lives, it is
not surprising that loss of sight is the disability that Americans
fear the most. As our population ages, eye disease will need to
take increasing prominence as a national health priority. Fortunately,
this is an exciting time for eye and vision research. Our understanding
of eye biology, visual processes, and disease mechanisms is increasing
at an accelerating rate.
New England Eye Center
has recognized the importance of eye and vision research and the
need for programs that translate findings from the laboratory
bench into the clinical arena. Over the last ten years, we have
built a substantial program that includes the Vision Research
Laboratories, the Tufts Center for Vision Research and extensive
clinical trials. Our world-renowned scientists collaborate extensively
with our clinicians, providing patients with innovative treatment
and understanding of eye diseases.
| We invite you to review information on our
on-going programs and our research faculty. |
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Research programs at the New England Eye Center
are funded by the National
Eye Institute, the Massachusetts
Lions Eye Research Fund,
Research to Prevent Blindness, other federal agencies, private
foundations, commercial organizations, and philanthropy.
Why vision research
and eye public health initiatives are important
- 80 million Americans have potentially blinding
eye diseases.
- 14 million Americans are estimated to have
low vision.
- Visual impairment is one of the ten most
common disabilities in America.
- Two-thirds of visually impaired adults are
over age 65; between 2000 and 2030 the number of Americans over
the age of 65 will double from 34 to 68 million.
- Macular degeneration is the leading cause
of blindness in America; research has produced promising new
treatments but disease awareness and detection remains low and
a cure has yet to be found.
- 3 million Americans have glaucoma; more than
half of the people who have glaucoma are not receiving treatment
because they are unaware of their condition.
- Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause
of blindness in Americans under 65. Although early diagnosis
and treatment has been shown to prevent vision loss is more
than 90% of patients, an estimated 50% of patients are diagnosed
too late for treatment to be effective.
- African-Americans are twice as likely to
be visually impaired as are whites of comparable socioeconomic
status.
- The economic cost of visual disability is
great - estimated at more than $55 billion per year.
- Many infants and young children are at high
risk for vision problems because of hereditary, prenatal and
perinatal factors. Research in the 1980s and 1990s found that
amblyopia, a leading cause of visual impairment in children,
results from visual problems in very early life.
Source: Healthy People 2010 Report
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