1. JAMA Ophthalmology Journal Club Slides: Survey of Americans on Eye and Vision Health
Scott AW, Bressler NM, Ffolkes S, Wittenborn JS, Jorkasky J. Public attitudes about eye and vision health. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online August 4, doi: /jamaophthalmol

2. Introduction Introduction
Understanding the importance of eye health to the US population across ethnic and racial groups helps guide strategies to preserve vision in Americans and inform policy makers regarding priority of eye research to Americans.
Objective
To understand the importance and awareness of eye health in the US population across ethnic and racial groups.

3. Methods
Study Design
Online nationwide poll commissioned by Research!America in partnership with Zogby Analytics.
Participants
Population survey of 2044 US adults, including non-Hispanic white individuals and minority groups with minority oversampling to provide predicted margins of error no greater than 5%.
Data Analysis
Results were analyzed using Stata 12 (StataCorp) to control for the multistage sampling weights.
Limitations
Poll was not subjected to formal construct validity testing prior to administration.
Poll was administered in English; did not query non–English-speaking Americans.

4. Sample Size and Study Population Characteristics
Results
Sample Size and Study Population Characteristics

5. Results
Many Americans rated losing eyesight as having the greatest effect on day-to-day life.
On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 having the least impact and 10 having the greatest impact on your daily life, how would you rate losing your eyesight?

6. Results
Most of the individuals were concerned about quality of life as a consequence of vision loss.
Which of the following would concern you as a consequence of losing your vision?

7. Blindness ranked high with other conditions among all groups.
Results
Blindness ranked high with other conditions among all groups.
Which of the following diseases or ailments is the worst that could happen to you?

8. Knowledge about specific eye disorders was uneven among all groups.
Results
Knowledge about specific eye disorders was uneven among all groups.
How many of the following conditions have you heard of? (Check all that apply.)

9. National support of eye and vision research was a priority.
Results
National support of eye and vision research was a priority.
How important is it that our nation supports research that focuses on improving
prevention and treatment of eye and vision disorders?

10. Many respondents said federal funding is not enough.
Results
Many respondents said federal funding is not enough.
The federal government spends on average $2.10 per person each year on eye and vision research. Would you say that is…

11. Comment
Vision health was a priority to Americans across all ethnic/racial groups, and blindness was feared more than cancer or AIDS/HIV in African American individuals.
Americans across all groups expressed a high level of support for ongoing research for vision and eye health.
Hispanic adults were the ethnic group least likely to have heard of common eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration or diabetic eye disease, even though Hispanic individuals have a high incidence of diabetes-related vision loss.
Consistency of these findings among the varying ethnic/racial groups underscores the importance of educating the public on eye health and mobilizing public support for vision research.

12. Conflict of Interest Disclosures
Contact Information
If you have questions, please contact the corresponding author:
Adrienne W. Scott, MD, Wilmer Eye Institute, Retina Division, Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Hospital, 600 N Wolfe St, Maumenee 719, Baltimore, MD
Funding/Support
Supported through a grant from Research to Prevent Blindness to the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures
All authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and none were reported.