Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well- being.

LVS Connection: Studies from the CDC link blindness and vision impairment to a variety of other health conditions, making vision a “gateway condition” of sorts. If vision impairments can be addressed, this dramatically improves the likelihood that other health conditions can be corrected.

Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease.

LVS Connection: Clients with blindness or a visual disability are more likely to suffer from stroke, hearing loss, diabetes, mobility issues, chronic kidney disease, and risk of early death, among others. A South Carolina resident is 9% more likely to have diabetes if they have blindness or a vision impairment. LVS services mitigate this risk.

Indicator 3.4.2: Suicide mortality rate.

LVS Connection: A South Korean study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology linked vision loss with suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts. Those with blindness or a visual disability were two times more likely to have suicidal ideations and three times more likely to have attempted suicide compared to participants with normal vision. We have an obligation at LVS to ensure all clients have all of their needs met either through direct services or reliable referrals.

Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

LVS Connection: In South Carolina there is a gap in coverage for individuals who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid (roughly 67% of the Federal Poverty Level or about $13,500 for a family of three) but not enough to qualify for premium tax credits under Marketplace coverage, which begins at 100% FPL. This means that the people we serve need vision services that they cannot afford and will otherwise go without.

Indicator 3.8.1: Coverage of essential health services (defined as the average coverage of essential services). 

LVS Connection: While LVS works to secure funding that can expand the financial guidelines upon which our applications are reviewed, an intermediate ongoing measurement of coverage of essential health services is the number of uninsured residents in each South Carolina County, a metric reported on annually by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.