Study finds sight is most valuable sense to UK public

A new study has revealed that the UK public think sight is the most valuable sense.

Researchers from the Crabb Lab at City, University of London surveyed a cross-section of 250 adults from the UK and asked them to rank how highly they valued each of eight human senses relative to the others.

Published in JAMA Ophthalmology, the new study found that respondents ranked sight as their most valuable sense and hearing as the second. Perhaps more surprisingly, respondents rated balance as the third most valuable sense, above more ‘traditional’ senses such as touch, taste and smell, as fourth, fifth and sixth, followed by pain and finally their sense of temperature.

David Crabb, professor of vision and statistics at City, University of London and director of the Crabb Lab, said: “It’s so important to understand what the public and patients’ perceptions and fears may be when it comes to the loss of the senses, as this should inform how health professionals triage and support them when loss occurs.  While sensory loss can be devastating, it’s important to educate the public on how they might cope and adapt.”