Solutions in Sight: A Summit to Address the Vision Loss Crisis
Thank you to all who made our Solutions in Sight Summit on May 4th a success! It is truly an honor to have brought together over 200 leaders,
innovators, and bold thinkers to tackle these issues and propose forward-thinking solutions as we face the reality of an aging baby boomer population and an increase in age-related vision loss.
However, this is only the beginning of this important conversation. Read this summary of What We Heard at the Summit and learn about the ideas that will propel us forward.
Watch our Access to a Full Life panel moderated by Michael Festa, Director of AARP MA and featuring Rebecca Alexander, Ryan Knighton, and Alice Bonner:
Watch our Technology panel moderated by Kara Miller of Innovation Hub and featuring experts from IBM, Lux Capital, and Aira:
Listen to the audio of the Summit courtesy of the Talking Information Center (TIC) Network here:
Solutions in Sight Summit May 4, 2016 Audio
What is the Vision Loss Crisis?
The population is rapidly aging. By 2030, it is estimated that nearly 1 in 5 Americans, approximately 75 million people, will be over 65. Baby Boomers will be experiencing various health issues, including vision loss, one of the most expensive health conditions. The number of older adults with sight loss is expected to double, with ripple effects on their quality of life.
If not addressed, vision impairment contributes to feelings of helplessness, loss of independence, increased injury and accidents, and joblessness (62% of individuals who are blind or visually impaired are unemployed). By 2050, the prevalence of vision loss is expected to grow by 135%, with costs in the billions. For any other impairment, this would be considered an epidemic.
Why is no one talking about this?
Until now, the conversations have been marginal and limited. We want to start a new conversation, and we want it to be heard nationally. Our forum, “Solutions In Sight,” is a summit to address the growing vision crisis and propose solutions. To this end, we are assembling innovators, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to discuss and evaluate innovations, solutions, and promising avenues in all the sciences—from engineering to behavioral science, mental and physical healthcare, and public policy—to solve this crisis. Join the conversation.