Making Eye Health a Priority

Empowering Patients to Navigate Their Eye Health with Confidence

Eyesight is one of our most precious senses, a constant companion that helps us experience the world and its beauty. Despite this, many of us take our sight for granted until one day, something changes. Suddenly colours might be less vivid or things appear more blurry. The current reality is that more than 8 million Canadians are living with an eye condition,[1] and one in seven Canadians will develop a serious eye condition in their lifetime. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) and Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO), are the three leading causes of vision loss, affecting around 70 million people worldwide and can have a serious impact on patients, their families, and caregivers.[2,3,4,5]

As Canada’s population continues to age, the number of individuals living with vision impairment will continue to rise. In fact, the prevalence of vision loss almost doubles after the age of 75, with 28.8% of Canadians experiencing these conditions.[1] In certain populations, this looks much worse, as Indigenous populations and low-income groups are more likely to experience higher rates of vision loss due to limited access to eye care services and other socio-economic factors. [6]

For those who are living with an eye disease, everyday activities such as dressing, reading and even recognizing faces, can become a great challenge.[7] It’s important that Canadians continue to proactively care for their eye health, and are aware of the risks of developing an eye condition as they age. 

The Benefit of Regular Eye Exams

For many Canadians, eye exams may not be accessible, or a priority. Current estimates show that only half of Canadians aged 40-64 visit an eye care professional annually.[8] Progress in vision care across Canada is happening, but not quickly enough, resulting in more people being diagnosed with blinding eye conditions, despite the availability of  resources to treat them. The good news is that 75% of people can prevent blindness if diagnosed early.[1] With that in mind, it’s important to be proactive about your vision, being aware of any changes to your eyesight, and ensuring you visit your eyecare professional regularly.[1]

Caption: It’s important to visit an eyecare professional regularly to help protect your eye health [Photo Credit: iStock.com]

In the early stages of an eye condition like AMD, people have no symptoms and are unaware that their vision is changing.[9] This is why a trained eye care professional can help you spot any changes to your eye health. In addition to detecting eye conditions early, regular eye exams can ensure timely treatment intervention and better long term outcomes. Eye exams can also be beneficial in helping to reveal other health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and even brain tumors.[10]

Empowering Patients to Navigate Their Eye Health with Confidence

For those who do receive a diagnosis of an eye condition, it can bring up different questions and feelings, and people may not know where to turn for support or accurate information. Having access to reliable resources is crucial for managing eye conditions effectively, and can provide valuable information, treatment options, and lifestyle changes that can support a patient’s journey.

In order to address a gap in available resources for people living with eye conditions like AMD or Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), Roche Canada has partnered with healthcare professionals, patient groups, people living with eye diseases and their caregivers to co-create educational resources to help provide them with the knowledge they need to navigate their diagnosis with confidence. This included six co-designed modules containing messages that clinicians would want their patients to know provided in an easy to understand way with the ultimate goal of aiding them along their journey from diagnosis to navigating appointments. These modules include:

• Diabetic Retinopathy (DR): A Quick Guide

• Pan-Retinal Photocoagulation (PRP): A Quick Guide

• Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Quick Guide

• Eye Injections: A Quick Guide

• Preparing for Your Ophthalmologist Visit: A Quick Guide

• Resources and Support for People with an Eye Disease

One key partner in co-creating the materials has seen first hand what people experience upon receiving a diagnosis with an eye condition: “People often experience feelings of fear and panic,” says Jim Tokos, National President, Canadian Council of the Blind. “It’s important that they have materials to identify and address their needs when navigating their diagnosis in a simple and manageable way.”

Having the right information at your fingertips to help you navigate your journey with ease is critical. 

“With the right tools and resources to support, there can be life after vision loss,” says Tokos. “We want to help provide the community with resources that can help not only advocate for themselves, but to help them continue to live active lives and do the things they enjoy.”

Roche’s commitment to collaborating with patient communities, policy makers, and advocates is to ensure provinces across the country prioritize the delivery of care, support services and access to innovative medicines that are vital for those with vision loss. Working together, we can enrich lives by saving sight. 

If you’ve been recently diagnosed with an eye disease or are looking for resources and support, you can visit www.eyehealthmatters.ca to learn more.

References

1. Deloitte Access Economics. The cost of vision loss and blindness in Canada. Available at: https://www.fightingblindness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Deloitte-Cost-of-vision-loss-and-blindness-in-Canada-report-May-2021.pdf. 

2. Song P, et al. Global epidemiology of retinal vein occlusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence, incidence, and risk factors. J Glob Health. 2019; 9:010427. Song P, et al.

3. Yau JWY, et al. Global prevalence and major risk factors of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes Care. 2012; 35:556–64.

4. Connolly E, et al. Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration associated genetic risk factors and 4-year progression data in the Irish population. Br J Ophthalmol. 2018;102:1691–95.

5. Bright Focus Foundation. Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Facts &  Figures. Available at: https://www.brightfocus.org/macular/article/age-related- macular-facts-figures. 

6. Furtado, João Marcello, Arthur Gustavo Fernandes, Juan Carlos Silva, Sandra Del Pino, and Carolina Hommes. 2023. "Indigenous Eye Health in the Americas: The Burden of Vision Impairment and Ocular Diseases" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 5: 3820. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053820   

7. Welp A, Woodbury RB, McCoy MA, et al. Making Eye Health a Population Health Imperative: Vision for Tomorrow. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK402367/ 

8. Finès, P. Self-reported eye health in Canada: 20 years of data. Available at: https://www.doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x202200400002-eng 

9. National Eye Institute: Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Available at: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/age-related-macular-degeneration

10. American Academy of Ophthalmology. 20 Surprising Health Problems an Eye Exam Can Catch. Available at: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/surprising-health-conditions-eye-exam-detects