Causes of blindness and vision impairment in 2020 and trends over 30 years, and prevalence of avoidable blindness in relation to VISION 2020: the Right to Sight: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study

Background Many causes of vision impairment can be prevented or treated. With an ageing global population, the demands for eye health services are increasing. We estimated the prevalence and relative contribution avoidable causes blindness globally from 1990 to 2020. aimed compare results with the World Health Assembly Global Action Plan (WHA GAP) target a 25% reduction 2010 2019 in avoidable impairment, defined as cataract undercorrected refractive error. Methods did systematic review meta-analysis population-based surveys disease January, 1980, to October, 2018. fitted hierarchical models estimate (with 95% uncertainty intervals [UIs]) of moderate severe (MSVI; presenting visual acuity <6/18 3/60) (<3/60 or less than 10° field around central fixation) by cause, age, region, year. Because data sparsity at younger ages, our analysis focused on adults aged 50 years older. Findings crude avoidable in older did not change between (percentage –0·2% [95% UI –1·5 1·0]; 9·58 cases per 1000 people IU 8·51 10·8], 96·0 per 1000 [86·0 107·0]). Age-standardised prevalence decreased –15·4% [–16·8 –14·3], while MSVI showed no change (0·5% [–0·8 1·6]). However, number increased both (10·8% [8·9 12·4]) and MSVI (31·5% [30·0 33·1]). The leading those 2020 were cataract (15·2 million [9% 12·7–18·0]), followed glaucoma (3·6 [2·8–4·4]), undercorrected refractive error (2·3 [1·8–2·8]), age-related macular degeneration (1·8 [1·3–2·4]), and diabetic retinopathy (0·86 [0·59–1·23]). Leading wer