More than 4 million U.S. adults have glaucoma, about 35% have related vision loss
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Key takeaways:
- Prevalence was higher among non-Hispanic Black adults vs. other racial and ethnic groups.
- Prevalence was lowest in Utah (1.11%) and highest in Mississippi (1.95%)
An estimated 4.22 million U.S. adults had glaucoma in 2022, and 1.49 million had vision-affecting glaucoma, with “substantial variation” in prevalence by region and demographics, according to a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
“Up-to-date estimates of how many people have glaucoma in a certain area are vital for addressing the problem,” Joshua R. Ehrlich, MD, MPH, first study author and associate professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at Michigan Medicine, said in a related press release. “This kind of information is important for formulating evidence-based policy and public health solutions.”
To estimate the prevalence of glaucoma and related vison loss on a state and county level, Ehrich and colleagues conducted a meta-analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Medicare and IBM MarketScan claims, population-based studies of eye disease and population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The researchers reported that in 2022, an estimated 4.22 million people had glaucoma, with a prevalence of 1.62% among adults aged 18 years and older, 2.56% among those aged 40 years and older and 5.2% among those aged 65 years and older. They estimated 1.49 million people had vision-affecting glaucoma, with a prevalence of 0.57%, 0.91% and 1.83%, respectively.
The age- and race-standardized prevalence of glaucoma was 1.65% among men and 1.59% among women, with higher prevalence reported among non-Hispanic Black adults (3.15%) vs. non-Hispanic white adults (1.42%). The combined prevalence among Hispanic adults and those of other races and ethnicities was 1.56%.
In addition, the researchers found that glaucoma prevalence varied by state, from 1.11% in Utah to 1.95% in Mississippi.
Regarding vision-affecting glaucoma, prevalence also was higher among men vs. women (0.59% vs. 0.55%), as well as among non-Hispanic Black adults vs. white adults and those of other races (1.2% vs. 0.48% vs. 0.57%).
“Approximately 4.22 million people in the U.S. (1.62% of adults) are estimated to have glaucoma, and 1.49 million people (0.57% of adults) are estimated to have vision-affecting glaucoma, with substantial variation in prevalence across demographic subgroups and U.S. states and counties,” Ehrlich and colleagues wrote. “These estimates may help provide information for the development and prioritization of public health strategies and interventions, the monitoring of epidemiologic trends, and evaluation of programs tailored for communities and populations at highest risk of glaucoma.”
Reference:
- Glaucoma study shows higher prevalence than previously estimated. https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health-lab/glaucoma-study-shows-higher-prevalence-previously-estimated. Published Oct. 23, 2024. Accessed Oct. 24, 2024.
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