Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract : a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020

Konrad Pesudovs; Van Charles Lansingh; John H. Kempen; Ian Tapply; Arthur G. Fernandes; Maria Vittoria Cicinelli; Alessandro Arrigo; Nicolas Leveziel; Serge Resnikoff; Hugh R. Taylor; Tabassom Sedighi; Seth Flaxman; Mukkharram M. Bikbov; Tasanee Braithwaite; Alain Bron; Ching-Yu Cheng; Monte A. Del Monte; Joshua R. Ehrlich; Leon B. Ellwein; David Friedman; João M. Furtado; Gus Gazzard; Ronnie George; M. Elizabeth Hartnett; Jost B. Jonas; Rim Kahloun; Moncef Khairallah; Rohit C. Khanna; Janet Leasher; Julie-Anne Little; Vinay Nangia; Michal Nowak; Tunde Peto; Pradeep Ramulu; Fotis Topouzis; Mitiadis Tsilimbaris; Ya Xing Wang; Ningli Wang; Rupert Bourne; Paul Svitil Briant; Theo Vos; Yohannes Habtegiorgis Abate; Mohammad Abdollahi; Mozhan Abdollahi; Ayele Mamo Abebe; Olumide Abiodun; Richard Gyan Aboagye; Woldu Aberhe Abrha; Hasan Abualruz; Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu

doi:10.1038/s41433-024-02961-1

Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract : a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020

Konrad Pesudovs, Van Charles Lansingh, John H. Kempen, Ian Tapply, Arthur G. Fernandes, Maria Vittoria Cicinelli, Alessandro Arrigo, Nicolas Leveziel, Serge Resnikoff, Hugh R. Taylor, Tabassom Sedighi, Seth Flaxman, Mukkharram M. Bikbov, Tasanee Braithwaite, Alain Bron, Ching-Yu Cheng, Monte A. Del Monte, Joshua R. Ehrlich, Leon B. Ellwein, David FriedmanJoão M. Furtado, Gus Gazzard, Ronnie George, M. Elizabeth Hartnett, Jost B. Jonas, Rim Kahloun, Moncef Khairallah, Rohit C. Khanna, Janet Leasher, Julie-Anne Little, Vinay Nangia, Michal Nowak, Tunde Peto, Pradeep Ramulu, Fotis Topouzis, Mitiadis Tsilimbaris, Ya Xing Wang, Ningli Wang, Rupert Bourne, Paul Svitil Briant, Theo Vos, Yohannes Habtegiorgis Abate, Mohammad Abdollahi, Mozhan Abdollahi, Ayele Mamo Abebe, Olumide Abiodun, Richard Gyan Aboagye, Woldu Aberhe Abrha, Hasan Abualruz, Uchechukwu Levi Osuagwu

Western Sydney University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global and regional trends. We developed prevalence estimates based on modeled distance visual impairment and blindness due to cataract, producing location-, year-, age-, and sex-specific estimates of moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI presenting visual acuity <6/18, ≥3/60) and blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60). Estimates are age-standardized using the GBD standard population. Results: In 2020, among overall (all ages) 43.3 million blind and 295 million with MSVI, 17.0 million (39.6%) people were blind and 83.5 million (28.3%) had MSVI due to cataract blind 60% female, MSVI 59% female. From 1990 to 2020, the count of persons blind (MSVI) due to cataract increased by 29.7%(93.1%) whereas the age-standardized global prevalence of cataract-related blindness improved by −27.5% and MSVI increased by 7.2%. The contribution of cataract to the age-standardized prevalence of blindness exceeded the global figure only in South Asia (62.9%) and Southeast Asia and Oceania (47.9%). Conclusions: The number of people blind and with MSVI due to cataract has risen over the past 30 years, despite a decrease in the age-standardized prevalence of cataract. This indicates that cataract treatment programs have been beneficial, but population growth and aging have outpaced their impact. Growing numbers of cataract blind indicate that more, better-directed, resources are needed to increase global capacity for cataract surgery.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2156-2172
Number of pages	17
Journal	Eye
Volume	38
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-02961-1
Publication status	Published - Aug 2024

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Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024. corrected publication 2024.

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Pesudovs, K., Lansingh, V. C., Kempen, J. H., Tapply, I., Fernandes, A. G., Cicinelli, M. V., Arrigo, A., Leveziel, N., Resnikoff, S., Taylor, H. R., Sedighi, T., Flaxman, S., Bikbov, M. M., Braithwaite, T., Bron, A., Cheng, C.-Y., Del Monte, M. A., Ehrlich, J. R., Ellwein, L. B., ... Osuagwu, U. L. (2024). Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract : a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020. Eye, 38(11), 2156-2172. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-02961-1

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title = "Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract : a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020",

abstract = "Background: To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global and regional trends. We developed prevalence estimates based on modeled distance visual impairment and blindness due to cataract, producing location-, year-, age-, and sex-specific estimates of moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI presenting visual acuity <6/18, ≥3/60) and blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60). Estimates are age-standardized using the GBD standard population. Results: In 2020, among overall (all ages) 43.3 million blind and 295 million with MSVI, 17.0 million (39.6%) people were blind and 83.5 million (28.3%) had MSVI due to cataract blind 60% female, MSVI 59% female. From 1990 to 2020, the count of persons blind (MSVI) due to cataract increased by 29.7%(93.1%) whereas the age-standardized global prevalence of cataract-related blindness improved by −27.5% and MSVI increased by 7.2%. The contribution of cataract to the age-standardized prevalence of blindness exceeded the global figure only in South Asia (62.9%) and Southeast Asia and Oceania (47.9%). Conclusions: The number of people blind and with MSVI due to cataract has risen over the past 30 years, despite a decrease in the age-standardized prevalence of cataract. This indicates that cataract treatment programs have been beneficial, but population growth and aging have outpaced their impact. Growing numbers of cataract blind indicate that more, better-directed, resources are needed to increase global capacity for cataract surgery.",

author = "Konrad Pesudovs and Lansingh, {Van Charles} and Kempen, {John H.} and Ian Tapply and Fernandes, {Arthur G.} and Cicinelli, {Maria Vittoria} and Alessandro Arrigo and Nicolas Leveziel and Serge Resnikoff and Taylor, {Hugh R.} and Tabassom Sedighi and Seth Flaxman and Bikbov, {Mukkharram M.} and Tasanee Braithwaite and Alain Bron and Ching-Yu Cheng and {Del Monte}, {Monte A.} and Ehrlich, {Joshua R.} and Ellwein, {Leon B.} and David Friedman and Furtado, {Jo{\~a}o M.} and Gus Gazzard and Ronnie George and Hartnett, {M. Elizabeth} and Jonas, {Jost B.} and Rim Kahloun and Moncef Khairallah and Khanna, {Rohit C.} and Janet Leasher and Julie-Anne Little and Vinay Nangia and Michal Nowak and Tunde Peto and Pradeep Ramulu and Fotis Topouzis and Mitiadis Tsilimbaris and Wang, {Ya Xing} and Ningli Wang and Rupert Bourne and {Svitil Briant}, Paul and Theo Vos and Abate, {Yohannes Habtegiorgis} and Mohammad Abdollahi and Mozhan Abdollahi and Abebe, {Ayele Mamo} and Olumide Abiodun and Aboagye, {Richard Gyan} and Abrha, {Woldu Aberhe} and Hasan Abualruz and Osuagwu, {Uchechukwu Levi}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2024. corrected publication 2024.",

year = "2024",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1038/s41433-024-02961-1",

language = "English",

volume = "38",

pages = "2156--2172",

journal = "Eye",

issn = "0950-222X",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

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Pesudovs, K, Lansingh, VC, Kempen, JH, Tapply, I, Fernandes, AG, Cicinelli, MV, Arrigo, A, Leveziel, N, Resnikoff, S, Taylor, HR, Sedighi, T, Flaxman, S, Bikbov, MM, Braithwaite, T, Bron, A, Cheng, C-Y, Del Monte, MA, Ehrlich, JR, Ellwein, LB, Friedman, D, Furtado, JM, Gazzard, G, George, R, Hartnett, ME, Jonas, JB, Kahloun, R, Khairallah, M, Khanna, RC, Leasher, J, Little, J-A, Nangia, V, Nowak, M, Peto, T, Ramulu, P, Topouzis, F, Tsilimbaris, M, Wang, YX, Wang, N, Bourne, R, Svitil Briant, P, Vos, T, Abate, YH, Abdollahi, M, Abdollahi, M, Abebe, AM, Abiodun, O, Aboagye, RG, Abrha, WA, Abualruz, H & Osuagwu, UL 2024, 'Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract : a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020', Eye, vol. 38, no. 11, pp. 2156-2172. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-02961-1

TY - JOUR

T1 - Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract : a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020

AU - Pesudovs, Konrad

AU - Lansingh, Van Charles

AU - Kempen, John H.

AU - Tapply, Ian

AU - Fernandes, Arthur G.

AU - Cicinelli, Maria Vittoria

AU - Arrigo, Alessandro

AU - Leveziel, Nicolas

AU - Resnikoff, Serge

AU - Taylor, Hugh R.

AU - Sedighi, Tabassom

AU - Flaxman, Seth

AU - Bikbov, Mukkharram M.

AU - Braithwaite, Tasanee

AU - Bron, Alain

AU - Cheng, Ching-Yu

AU - Del Monte, Monte A.

AU - Ehrlich, Joshua R.

AU - Ellwein, Leon B.

AU - Friedman, David

AU - Furtado, João M.

AU - Gazzard, Gus

AU - George, Ronnie

AU - Hartnett, M. Elizabeth

AU - Jonas, Jost B.

AU - Kahloun, Rim

AU - Khairallah, Moncef

AU - Khanna, Rohit C.

AU - Leasher, Janet

AU - Little, Julie-Anne

AU - Nangia, Vinay

AU - Nowak, Michal

AU - Peto, Tunde

AU - Ramulu, Pradeep

AU - Topouzis, Fotis

AU - Tsilimbaris, Mitiadis

AU - Wang, Ya Xing

AU - Wang, Ningli

AU - Bourne, Rupert

AU - Svitil Briant, Paul

AU - Vos, Theo

AU - Abate, Yohannes Habtegiorgis

AU - Abdollahi, Mohammad

AU - Abdollahi, Mozhan

AU - Abebe, Ayele Mamo

AU - Abiodun, Olumide

AU - Aboagye, Richard Gyan

AU - Abrha, Woldu Aberhe

AU - Abualruz, Hasan

AU - Osuagwu, Uchechukwu Levi

PY - 2024/8

Y1 - 2024/8

N2 - Background: To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global and regional trends. We developed prevalence estimates based on modeled distance visual impairment and blindness due to cataract, producing location-, year-, age-, and sex-specific estimates of moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI presenting visual acuity <6/18, ≥3/60) and blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60). Estimates are age-standardized using the GBD standard population. Results: In 2020, among overall (all ages) 43.3 million blind and 295 million with MSVI, 17.0 million (39.6%) people were blind and 83.5 million (28.3%) had MSVI due to cataract blind 60% female, MSVI 59% female. From 1990 to 2020, the count of persons blind (MSVI) due to cataract increased by 29.7%(93.1%) whereas the age-standardized global prevalence of cataract-related blindness improved by −27.5% and MSVI increased by 7.2%. The contribution of cataract to the age-standardized prevalence of blindness exceeded the global figure only in South Asia (62.9%) and Southeast Asia and Oceania (47.9%). Conclusions: The number of people blind and with MSVI due to cataract has risen over the past 30 years, despite a decrease in the age-standardized prevalence of cataract. This indicates that cataract treatment programs have been beneficial, but population growth and aging have outpaced their impact. Growing numbers of cataract blind indicate that more, better-directed, resources are needed to increase global capacity for cataract surgery.

AB - Background: To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global and regional trends. We developed prevalence estimates based on modeled distance visual impairment and blindness due to cataract, producing location-, year-, age-, and sex-specific estimates of moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI presenting visual acuity <6/18, ≥3/60) and blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60). Estimates are age-standardized using the GBD standard population. Results: In 2020, among overall (all ages) 43.3 million blind and 295 million with MSVI, 17.0 million (39.6%) people were blind and 83.5 million (28.3%) had MSVI due to cataract blind 60% female, MSVI 59% female. From 1990 to 2020, the count of persons blind (MSVI) due to cataract increased by 29.7%(93.1%) whereas the age-standardized global prevalence of cataract-related blindness improved by −27.5% and MSVI increased by 7.2%. The contribution of cataract to the age-standardized prevalence of blindness exceeded the global figure only in South Asia (62.9%) and Southeast Asia and Oceania (47.9%). Conclusions: The number of people blind and with MSVI due to cataract has risen over the past 30 years, despite a decrease in the age-standardized prevalence of cataract. This indicates that cataract treatment programs have been beneficial, but population growth and aging have outpaced their impact. Growing numbers of cataract blind indicate that more, better-directed, resources are needed to increase global capacity for cataract surgery.

UR - https://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:77462

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85199813971&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41433-024-02961-1

DO - 10.1038/s41433-024-02961-1

M3 - Article

SN - 0950-222X

VL - 38

SP - 2156

EP - 2172

JO - Eye

JF - Eye

IS - 11

ER -

Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract : a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020

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