Burdens and trends of blindness and vision loss among those aged 55 years and older: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study

Key Takeaways

• The burden of blindness and vision loss, measured by prevalence and disability index, continues to rise after adjusting for population growth and aging. 
• Blindness and vision loss are significant public health burdens, especially for women and in low socio-demographic index regions.

A new study sought to systematically analyze the burden and trends of blindness and vision loss for those aged ≥55 years from 1990 to 2019 and to predict trends over the next few years. The researchers used data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 for their analyses.

They found that in 2019, the global prevalence of blindness and vision loss was 471.1 million with 15.9 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for those aged ≥55 years. They predict that these numbers will reach 640.3 million cases and 18.9 million DALYs in 2030. The researchers conclude that despite a decline from 2001 to 2019, the burden of blindness and vision loss, measured by prevalence and DALYs, continues to rise after adjusting for population growth and aging. Blindness and vision loss are significant public health burdens, especially for women and in low socio-demographic index regions.

Edited by Dawn Wilcox, BSN, RN and Miriam Kaplan, PhD

Source: C. Zhao et al, Eur J Ophthalmol. 2024 Mar 8:11206721241238878. doi: 10.1177/11206721241238878