Cataract Blindness Statistics

Other frequently associated risk factors are trauma uveitis diabetes ultraviolet light exposure and smoking.

Cataract blindness statistics.

Cataract remains the leading cause of blindness and an important cause of visual impairment across the globe. Learn about the types symptoms and causes of cataracts and how your doctor will diagnose and treat them. Cataract remains the leading cause of blindness. The major causes of visual impairment are uncorrected refractive errors 43 and cataract 33.

A cortical cataract begins as whitish wedge shaped opacities or streaks on the outer edge of the lens cortex. Cataracts affect more than 24 4 million americans age 40 and older. The main non modifiable risk factor for cataract is aging. Visual impairment in 2010 is a major global health issue.

Yes if left untreated cataracts cause continual loss of vision eventually leading to legal blindness or even total blindness. As it slowly progresses the streaks extend to the center and interfere with light passing through the center of the lens. Cataracts cause legal blindness in 10 3 percent of non hispanic whites 25 percent of african americans and 7 9 percent of hispanics who are legally blind. In the case of blindness caused by cataracts vision usually can be successfully restored with cataract surgery and implantation of an intraocular lens.

The preventable causes are as high as 80 of the total global burden. The first cause of blindness is cataract 51. Cataracts that affect the edges of the lens cortical cataracts. Age related macular degeneration is believed to cause of blindness in 46 6 percent of non hispanic whites 4 2 percent of african americans and 23 7 percent of hispanics who are legally blind.

Explore eye health statistics our data and statistics are free for researchers policymakers and members of the media to use and distribute. According to the latest assessment cataract is responsible for 51 of world blindness which represents about 20 million people 2010. The prevalence of blinding bilateral cataract in africa is estimated to be around 0 5. How many people in the united states have cataracts.

However this figure is obviously dependent on the regional rate of cataract surgery. Although cataracts can be surgically removed in many countries barriers exist that prevent patients to access surgery. More than half of all americans age 80 and older either have had cataracts or have had surgery to get rid of cataracts. People 50 years and older are 82 of all blind.

Eye diseases visual impairment and blindness refractive errors eye injuries ophthalmologists. As demonstrated by these surveys approximately half the blindness in africa is due to cataract.