A recent UK cross-sectional online survey concludes that sight is the most valued sense, followed by hearing.
In a trade-off exercise, participants choose an average of 4.6 years of life in perfect health over 10 years of life with complete sight loss, and 6.8 years of perfect health over 10 years without hearing. The study also found balance was valued more highly than touch, taste and smell.
Published by Jama Ophthalmology, research involved 250 UK adults aged 22-80 years and provides empirical evidence that sight is the most valued sense.
