Vision screening for refractive error, early eye disease may help reduce unnecessary vision loss

By 2050, non-Hispanic white individuals are still expected to represent the largest prevalence of vision impairment cases in the United States. Increasing vision screening and intervention for refractive error and early eye disease may help reduce that prevalence, according to a study.

The population-based, cross-sectional study included data pooled from adults 40 years and older from six major population-based studies on blindness and visual impairment.

In the United States in 2015, 1.02 million people were blind and nearly 3.22 million people had visual impairment. Additionally, up to 8.2 million people in the country had visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive error, and the overall estimated prevalence of visual impairment was 2.14%.

“Between 2015 and 2050, non-Hispanic white individuals and women are projected to remain the largest demographics with respect to absolute numbers of [visual impairment] and blindness. Women are projected to outnumber men by 30% to 32% with respect to [visual impairment] and by 6% to 11% with respect to blindness. After non-Hispanic white individuals, Hispanic individuals are projected to have the most cases of [visual impairment], and African American individuals are projected to have the most cases of blindness,” the study authors wrote.

The projected rates may decrease if additional vision screenings and interventions for refractive error and early eye disease are taken in the at-risk populations, the researchers said. – by Robert Linnehan

Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.

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Source:

Varma R, et al. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016;doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.1284.