Abstract
BackgroundCause-specific prevalence data of vision loss and blindness is fundamental for making public health policies and is essential for prioritizing scientific advances and industry research.MethodsCause-specific vision loss data from the Global Health Data Exchange was used. The burden of vision loss was measured by prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs).FindingsIn 2019, uncorrected refractory error and cataract were the most common causes for vision loss and blindness globally. Women have higher rates of cataract, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and diabetic retinopathy (DR) than men. In the past 30 years, the prevalence of moderate/severe vision loss and blindness due to neonatal disorders has increased by 13.73 and 33.53%, respectively. Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the major cause of neonatal disorders related vision loss. In 2019, ROP caused 101.6 thousand [95% uncertainty intervals (UI) 77.5–128.2] cases of vision impairment, including 49.1 thousand (95% UI 28.1–75.1) moderate vision loss, 27.5 thousand (95% UI 19.3–36.60) severe vision loss and, 25.0 thousand (95% UI 14.6–35.8) blindness. The prevalence of new-onset ROP in Africa and East Asia was significantly higher than other regions. Variation of preterm birth prevalence can explain 49.8% geometry variation of ROP-related vision loss burden among 204 countries and territories. After adjusting for preterm prevalence, government health spending per total health spending (%), rather than total health spending per person, was associated with a reduced burden of ROP-related vision loss in 2019 (−0.19 YLDs for 10% increment). By 2050, prevalence of moderate, severe vision loss and blindness due to ROP is expected to reach 43.6 (95% UI 35.1–52.0), 23.2 (95% UI 19.4–27.1), 31.9 (95% UI 29.7–34.1) per 100,000 population.ConclusionThe global burden of vision loss and blindness highlights the prevalent of ROP, a major and avoidable cause for childhood vision loss. Advanced screening techniques and treatments have shown to be effective in preventing ROP-related vision loss and are urgently needed in regions with high ROP-related blindness rates, including Africa and East Asia.
Highlights
Vision loss is a major cause of functional impairment globally, greatly decreasing life quality and increasing social burden
We estimated that Southeast Asia, South Asia, North Africa, Middle East, Ease and West Sub-Saharan Africa, Tropical and Andean Latin America remained the primary area with high age-standardized years lived with disability (YLDs) for all-cause distance vision loss and blindness
The burden of distance vision loss and blindness was different between age and sex
Summary
Cause-specific vision loss data from the Global Health Data Exchange was used. The burden of vision loss was measured by prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs). In the past 30 years, the prevalence of moderate/severe vision loss and blindness due to neonatal disorders has increased by 13.73 and 33.53%, respectively. Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the major cause of neonatal disorders related vision loss. Variation of preterm birth prevalence can explain 49.8% geometry variation of ROP-related vision loss burden among 204 countries and territories. After adjusting for preterm prevalence, government health spending per total health spending (%), rather than total health spending per person, was associated with a reduced burden of ROP-related vision loss in 2019 (−0.19 YLDs for 10% increment). By 2050, prevalence of moderate, severe vision loss and blindness due to ROP is expected to reach 43.6 (95% UI 35.1–52.0), 23.2 (95% UI 19.4–27.1), 31.9 (95% UI 29.7–34.1) per 100,000 population
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