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. 2019 Nov 12;93(1115):20190829. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20190829

Table 3.

The top five causes of visual impairment

Ranking Ocular disease %
Worlda Japanb Russiac USAd USAe
White Black Hispanic White Black Hispanic
1 Cataract 48 Glaucoma 21 Glaucoma 29 Macular degeneration 54.4 Cataract 36.8 Glaucoma 28.6 Cataract 59.2 Cataract 50.9 Cataract 46.7
2 Glaucoma 12 Diabetic retinopathy 16 Retinal impairment 16 Other 25 Glaucoma 26 Other 28.6 Macular degeneration 22.9 Other 17 Other 18.5
3 Macular degeneration 9 Retinitis pigmentosa 12 Optic nerve atrophy 14 Cataract 8.7 Other 25.6 Cataract 14.3 Other 9.7 Diabetic retinopathy 14.5 Macular degeneration 14.1
4 Corneal opacities 5 Macular degeneration 10 High myopia 12 Glaucoma 6.4 Diabetic retinopathy 7.3 Macular degeneration 14.3 Diabetic retinopathy 4.9 Glaucoma 14.3 Diabetic retinopathy 13
5 Diabetic retinopathy 5 Chorioretinal atrophy 8 Cataract 11 Diabetic retinopathy 5.4 Macular degeneration 4.4 Diabetic retinopathy 14.3 Glaucoma 3.3 Macular degeneration 3.2 Glaucoma 7.6
a

Cause of visual impairment as of 2002.1

b

Cause of visual impairment as of 2010, only those at age ≥18 years.63 Cataract serves as the seventh cause (5%) in Japan.

c

Cause of visual impairment as of 2014.64

d

Cause of blindness as of 2000.65

e

Cause of low vision as of 2000.65