Promoting Oral Health Among the Visually Impaired

By Ruth Palich, RDH, MHHS

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of low vision and blindness among adults 50 and older. Currently, more than 2 million Americans experience some degree of vision loss due to AMD. It is projected that by 2030 nearly 3.5 million Americans will have advanced AMD.¹ While the prevalence of AMD is lower than other eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma, as the United States population continues to age, dental professionals will likely encounter patients with AMD in the clinical setting. Visual impairment can impact oral health in many ways. As such, clinicians need to be knowledgeable about this disease so treatment can be modified to meet the needs of this population.

* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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