Statistics

Only half of the estimated 61 million adults in the United States, who classify as being at high risk for serious vision loss, have visited an eye doctor in the past year.

82% of people living with blindness are aged 50 and above.

Approximately 2.5% or 5.3 million Americans aged 18 years and older have diabetic retinopathy.

Over 70% of the U.S. work force requires vision correction.

Approximately 14 million Americans aged 12 years and older have self-reported visual impairment defined as distance visual acuity of 20/50 or worse.

Globally the major causes of visual impairment are:

Uncorrected refractive errors - 43%, unoperated cataract - 33%, glaucoma - 2%.

48% of parents in the U.S. with children under 12 have never taken their child to an eye care professional

the percentage is much higher in Armenia.

Approximately 2% or 2.2 million Americans 40 years and older have glaucoma.

Worldwide, up to 70% of childhood blindness is preventable.

80% OF ALL EYE DISEASE IS PREVENTABLE OR CURABLE

There are an estimated 45 million BLIND people and 246 million have LOW VISION.

Globally,
UNCORRECTED REFRACTIVE ERRORS
are the main cause of moderate and severe visual impairment.

80% of all learning takes place visually in the first 12 years of life.

The global prevalence of
childhood blindness is thought to be around 4%
or approximately one tenth of the prevalence of blindness in adults.

About 75% of all people over the age of 65 have some form of Cataracts.

Early detection and treatment are the best ways to control cataracts.

Approximately 16% or 20.5 million Americans 40 years and older have cataracts.

19% of people in the U.S. use contact lenses.

Computers are the number one source of vision complaints in the workplace.

2010 – Vision impairment by gender: 64% Female, 36% Male

Protect your eyes.
The proper eye protection will lessen the severity or prevent 90% of all accidental eye injuries.

64% of people in the U.S. use eyeglasses.

For each decade after 40 there's a 300% increase in blindness.

An estimated 1.4 million children are blind, 320,000 of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa.

2010 – Blindness by Race:

83% White, 11% Black, 3% Hispanic, 3% Other

90% OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND LIVE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WITH LOW INCOME

The leading cause of blindness in children is EYE INJURY and 75% of injuries happen when no adult is present.

Most of these injuries can be prevented by using proper
eye protection and following safety precautions.

In developing countries, it is believed that 60-80% of children who become blind die within 1-2 years.

2010 – Blindness by gender:
55% Female, 34% Male

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common vision problem affecting about 34% of the population.

Hyperopia or farsightedness is a common vision problem affecting about 25% of the population.

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the middle and low income countries.

In the U.S., 64% of adults or
143 million people wear prescriptive eyewear.

61% of people in the U.S. need eyewear due to Myopia or "nearsightedness."

61% of the U.S. adult population had an eye examination within the past year.

An estimated 3.1% of deaths worldwide are directly or indirectly due to cataract, glaucoma, trachoma & onchocerciasis.

1.6 million Americans aged 50 years and older have age related macular degeneration.

31% of people in the U.S. need vision correction due to presbyopia or age related "farsightedness."

The global financial cost of childhood blindness is said to be between
$6 billion & $27 billion.