Nathan Congdon|Benita J O'Colmain|Caroline C.W. Klaver|Ronald Klein|Beatriz Muñoz|David S. Friedman|John H. Kempen|Hugh R. Taylor|Paul Mitchell
Causes and Prevalence of Visual Impairment Among Adults in the UnitedStates
h3objectivesh3 estimate causespecific prevalence distribution blindness low vision united states age raceethnicity gender estimate change prevalence figures next 20 years h3methodsh3 summary prevalence estimates blindness according us definition 660 20200 bestcorrected visual acuity betterseeing eye world health organization standard lt6120 lt20400 low vision lt612 lt2040 bestcorrected vision betterseeing eye prepared separately black hispanic white persons 5year age intervals starting 40 years estimated prevalences based recent populationbased studies united states australia europe estimates applied 2000 us census data projected us population figures 2020 estimate number americans visual impairment causespecific prevalences blindness low vision also estimated different racialethnic groups h3resultsh3 based demographics 2000 us census estimated 937 000 078 americans older 40 years blind us definition additional 24 million americans 198 low vision leading cause blindness among white persons agerelated macular degeneration 544 cases among black persons cataract glaucoma accounted 60 blindness cataract leading cause low vision responsible approximately 50 bilateral vision worse 612 2040 among white black hispanic persons number blind persons us projected increase 70 16 million 2020 similar rise projected low vision h3conclusionsh3 blindness low vision affects approximately 1 28 americans older 40 years specific causes visual impairment especially blindness vary greatly raceethnicity prevalence visual disabilities increase markedly next 20 years owing largely aging us population