these are our patients… …old and young alike …men, women and children

These are our patients…

…old and young alike…men, women and

children

…mothers, fathers…all races, all religions, all

economic strata

What do they all have in common?

A need for good vision, AND overall good health

Everything we do as optometrists, school of optometry faculty, state executives, and AOA staff goes back to the care provided

What has our country achieved for the health of

the public?We’re on the brink of a “longevity

revolution”By 2030, number of older

Americans will have more than doubled:

70 million people

Public Health Achievements

•Infant mortality rates have dropped 5% in a 20-year period

•Higher number of children are being immunized

•Fewer people smoke•5-year relative cancer survival rates

are increasing

However, a growing number of our patients are

not healthy• Between 1980 and 1996, prevalence of

diabetes increased 19%On March 27, the government announced

some 16 million have “pre-diabetes”




some 16 million have “pre-diabetes” People with condition called “impaired

glucose tolerance” are at high risk for diabetes—and most don’t know they have it




some 16 million have “pre-diabetes” People with condition called “impaired

glucose tolerance” are at high risk for diabetes—and most don’t know they have it

Total number of people with diabetes could rise to 33 million—costing extra $100 billion in health care costs

A growing number of our patients are not healthy…

• CDC reports 61% increase in number of obese Americans from 1991 through 2000



• Heart disease and stroke are the 1st and 3rd leading causes of death in the U.S. – 40% of all deaths



• Heart disease and stroke are the 1st and 3rd leading causes of death in the U.S. – 40% of all deaths

• Rate of new lung cancer cases increased from 1973 through 1995

Aging population represents challenge of maintaining good

vision…National Eye Institute/Prevent Blindness

America report “Vision Problems in the USA” issued March 2002:More Americans facing blindness from

age-related eye disease1 million age 40 and over are blind2.4 million are visually impairedNumbers will double in 30 years

“Vision Problems in the USA” NEI/PBA Report: Eye Diseases

• Diabetic Retinopathy: 5.3 million• Age-Related Macular Degeneration: 1.6

million age 60 and over• Cataracts: 20.5 million age 65 and over• Glaucoma: 2.2 million diagnosed;

another 2 million NOT diagnosed

Other Vision Needs/Problemsin the U.S.

• Close to 169 million people have eyewear needs 70 million myopes 89 million presbyopes: 26 million people

bought over-the-counter “readers” in 2000

• 28 percent get an eye exam every 2 – 3 years; another 6% every 4 years or longer

Other Vision Problems: Eye Injuries

• 40,000 eye injuries a year are sports- related

• More than 2,000 eye injuries a year from fireworks

• 1,000 eye injuries a day in the workplace

Children’s Vision Problems: A Great Unmet Need

• Only 14% of children under age 6 had an exam by an eye doctor• Only half of all children will have an eye exam before completing high school• 20% of children aged 9-15 need glasses and 90% of these have not received them

Children’s Vision Disorders

• Vision disorders 4th most common disability in U.S. and leading cause of handicapping conditions in children

• Most prevalent is amblyopia• 75,000 3-year-olds develop

amblyopia each year• Treatment before age 5 critical, yet

1/2 diagnosed after 5

What can we do to achieve good health and optimum

vision for all people?

Healthy People 2010: National Health and Disease Prevention

Program1. Increase proportion of persons who

have a dilated eye exam at appropriate intervals;

2. Increase the proportion of preschool children aged 5 years and under who receive vision screening;

3. Reduce uncorrected visual impairment due to refractive errors;


Program4. Reduce blindness & visual impairment in

children aged 17 & under;5. Reduce visual impairment due to diabetic

retinopathy;6. Reduce visual impairment due to

glaucoma;7. Reduce visual impairment due to cataract;8. Reduce occupational eye injury;


Program9. Increase the use of protective

eyewear in recreational activities & hazardous situations around the house; and

10.Increase the use of vision rehabilitation services & adaptive devices by people with visual impairments.

And just as important, what about the health and vision of

people we do not yet see?• Family history: glaucoma,

hypertension, macular degeneration, heart disease

• Ethnic groups at risk: African Americans, Hispanic Americans

Planning Phases – Implementation

• 3-Year Operational Plan

• 5 – 10-Year Strategic Plan

• Beyond 10 years: Mega Issues Health care delivery will be different

Financing that care will be different

We are partners in the process of designing and implementing health care policy

“Healthy Eyes,Healthy People”

remains in the AOA Strategic Plan as a core program

As primary eye care providers, we are…

• Educators• Advocates• Facilitators• Spokespersons

For our patients

We must work to improve access to health and vision

care

We must work towards comprehensive eye exams

for all children

Again, remember that only 14 percent of children age 6 and

under have received eye exam

We must sit at the table of the public health community as an equal and respected

partner

We will strive to make a greater impact on not just

the visual health of our patients, but their health

overall.

Core Values

• Our desire to provide the best possible care to our patients;

• Our ability to provide that care, because of our extensive training

• Our desire to be successful – not just in the size or volume of our practices, but in our endeavors on behalf of our patients and the communities where we live

Let’s get to work developing our plan and implementing this vision for our patients.

these are our patients… …old and young alike …men, women and children

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