Research

Statistics - numbers of people with sight problems by age group in the UK

Summary: Facts and figures about sight loss in the UK.

• 1. Key statistics about sight loss
• 2. Revised detailed prevalence figures
• 3. Frequently asked questions
• 4.1 Prevalence of sight problems in children in the UK
• 4.2 Prevalence of sight problems in adults of working age in the UK
• 4.3 Prevalence of sight problems in older people in the UK
• 4.4 Further reading

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1. Key statistics about sight loss

Every day in the UK another 100 people start to lose their sight. Sight problems are more common than we think. More shockingly, many sight problems are preventable. New RNIB research suggests that that over 50 per cent of all sight problems in older people in the UK could be corrected by prescribing correct glasses or lenses or by cataract surgery. However because a large proportion of the older population are not in regular contact with eye care services, they are living with unnecessary sight problems and are not receiving the treatment they deserve.

These pages set out some key statistics about sight loss in the UK.

People with sight problems need a whole range of practical services and products to live independently. The planning of health and social care services should be informed by a good understanding of the prevalence of visual difficulties in different age groups in the community, as well as a thorough understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with different eye conditions and different social circumstances. The vast majority of people with sight problems are older people, aged 65 and over. The older you are the more likely you are to have a sight problem. Most older people with sight problems started to lose their sight later in life.

1.1 Key facts and statistics

• Sight problems are more common than we think, although it is not possible to calculate a precise figure for the total number of people with sight problems in the UK.
• About 2,000,000 (two million) people in the UK have significant sight loss. This estimate is derived from a literature review carried out for RNIB in 2005 by a team of epidemiologists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (Tate et al, 2005) - The prevalence of sight problems in the UK (Word).
• The vast majority of people with sight problems are older people, aged 65 and over. The older you are the more likely you are to have a sight problem. Most older people with sight problems started to lose their sight later in life.
• There are an estimated 25,000 children with sight problems in the UK, about 12,000 of these children also have other disabilities.
• The Department of Health has changed the terminology used for registering sight problems. Ophthalmologists decide if you can be "registered as severely sight impaired" (formerly known as registered blind) if with corrected vision, you can only read the top letter of the eye chart from three metres or less. You can be registered as "sight impaired" (formerly, partially sighted) if with corrected vision, you can only read the top letter of the eye chart from six metres or less.
• At the end of March 2006 there were 364,615 people in the UK who were registered as severely sight impaired (blind) or sight impaired (partially sighted). A larger group of people also have significant sight loss, who do not fall into these narrow categories.
• Every day another 100 people start to lose their sight. This figure is based on the average number of people each day who registered as severely sight impaired or sight impaired (blind or partially sighted) in Britain in 2003.
• Even if your vision seems OK, an eye test can detect problems you don't know you have - and save your sight. RNIB recommends an eye test at least once every two years.
• Department of Health figures show that over four million older people do not have regular eye tests, so their potential sight problems are not being identified or treated.
• Over 50 per cent of all sight problems in older people are estimated to be due to untreated refractive error or cataracts.
• Seventy percent of blind and partially sighted adults have other disabilities or long term health problems in addition to their sight loss.
• The prevalence of sight loss increases with age, and the UK population is ageing. In addition there is a growing incidence in key underlying causes of sight loss such as obesity and diabetes. This means, that without action, the numbers of people with sight problems in the UK are likely to increase dramatically over the next 25 years.

2. Revised detailed prevalence figures

In this section you will find:

• Estimated total overall population of people with significant sight loss in the UK including those with VA <6/12 as a measure of acuity
• Estimated population of people with significant sight loss in the UK using <6/18 as a measure of visual acuity
• Number of people in Britain registered as blind and partially sighted (by country).

RNIB has revised estimates for the numbers of people with sight problems in some age groups. Find out about the need for revised figures and information about the sources these revised figures are based upon. It is not possible to establish a completely precise figure for the total number of people with sight problems in the UK. The main reference for the population estimates detailed in Tables 1a and 1b is a literature review carried out for RNIB by epidemiological colleagues at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (Tate et al, 2005). Two other key references (both cited in the review) are studies of older people (Evans et al, 2002; van der Pols et al, 2002). RNIB is constantly working to arrive at the most accurate statistics possible. There is a clear need for more epidemiological research among those age groups where data is lacking - so that a precise estimate for the total number of people with sight problems in the UK can be produced.

The definitions of significant sight loss used by the researchers in the review were based upon measures of visual acuity (see section 3.4). It is important to remember that registration as blind or partially sighted can also be based upon visual field loss, as well as other factors.

The estimates in Tables 1a and 1b (below) are based on a number of studies which include studies using visual acuity (VA) measures to define the level of sight problem(s). We have used two definitions to identify the population of people with significant sight loss:

• sight loss that would meet the criteria for registration as blind or partially sighted or VA less than 6/18; and
• sight loss that would not qualify for registration but significantly affects everyday life, or VA less than 6/12.

In summary, with the current available evidence, RNIB estimates the population of people with significant sight loss in the UK, using the broad definition, to be around 2 million. Using visual acuity as the measure, RNIB defines significant sight loss as VA less than 6/12. These studies are a reliable guide to understanding the numbers and characteristics of people with sight problems in specific age groups, but do not give a precise total population figure.

Table 1a Estimated total overall population of people with significant sight loss in the UK including those with VA <6/12 as a measure of acuity

Age group	All people with significant sight loss (including those with registerable sight loss and those with sight loss using <6/12 as a measure of acuity)
0 - 16 (0 -15 for Scotland)	25,000 See note 3
Working age (18 - 64) (16 - 64 for Scotland)	80,000 See note 4
Older people (65 - 74)	797,631 See note 5
Older people (75+)	1,178,962 See note 6
Total	2,100,000 (rounded up)

Table 1b - Estimated population of people with significant sight loss in the UK using <6/18 as a measure of visual acuity

Age group	People with significant sight loss using <6/18 as a measure of visual acuity
0 -16 (0 - 15 for Scotland)	10,400 See note 1
Working age (18 - 64) (16 - 64 for Scotland)	80,000 See note 1
Older people (65 - 74)	282,700 See note 5
Older people (75+)	606,152 See note 2
Total	980,000 (rounded up)

Table: 1c - Number of people in Britain registered as blind and partially sighted (by country)

Data sources: Department of Health, Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly Government

Country	Registered as blind	Registered as partially sighted	Total
England 2005/06	152,455	155,200	307,655
Scotland 2005/06	21,561	15,435	36,996
Wales 2005/06	9,677	10,287	19,964
Britain	183,693	180,922	364,615

Tables for each of the countries are produced by the government departments with responsibility for the statistics in the respective countries. The web addresses for these tables are:

The country tables also give further information about age groups:

• England
• Scotland
• Wales

Equivalent tables are not produced in Northern Ireland. For this reason Table 1c excludes a summary of registration statistics for Northern Ireland.

2.1 Data sources used for tables 1a and 1b

2.2 Notes for tables 1a and 1b

2.3 How are these estimates calculated?

The estimates in Tables 1a and 1b are based on scientific measures of the numbers of people in the UK population (or prevalence, to use the technical term) who have sight problems. These prevalence rates have been applied to census measures of the size of the UK population to produce estimates of the number children and adults in particular age groups that have different levels of sight problems. Sources - further information

3. Frequently asked questions

Go to our FAQs statistics page to find answers to the following questions:

• what estimates can we provide?
• where do these estimates come from?
• what terminology and definitions are being used?
• how many people are not registered but should be?
• are all vision problems in older people identified?
• how many people have treatable eye conditions?
• how accurate are these estimates?
• what do we not know?
• how can I find out more about these estimates?

4.1 Prevalence of sight problems in children in the UK

There are no consistent national estimates of the prevalence of sight problems in children aged up to 16. The epidemiological evidence [6] is that there are 5.9 visually impaired children per 10,000, while other surveys [8,9,10] and administrative data [7] show that the prevalence of sight problems in children is 20 children per 10,000. That is, there are between 7,000 and 25,000 visually impaired children in the UK.

These estimates have to be used carefully, with great caution and with a grasp of the complexity of the means by which they have been made. In particular, the inconsistencies arise because:

• The only national epidemiological study [6] used a very high threshold of sight problems in children to qualify for inclusion in the study. This estimate is only of children classified as having the most severe forms of visual impairment.
• The higher estimate is for children who meet local education or social service criteria for the provision of specialist education or social services. The estimates from the administrative data [7] and other studies [8,9,10] includes children with a broader spectrum of sight problems than would have been covered by the national epidemiological study. However, health, social care and education services do not necessarily use the same criteria to identify visually impaired children to include in their administrative data. Consequently, there is a great deal of regional and service based variation in the number of visually impaired children.

Complexity of estimating prevalence in children - further information

4.2 Prevalence of sight problems in adults of working age in the UK

Visual acuity of 6/24 means a person can see at six metres what a fully sighted person can normally see at 24 metres. Likewise visual acuity of 6/48 means someone can see at six metres what a fully sighted person can normally see at 48 metres.

In the UK someone who has visual acuity of 6/18 or worse can be registered as having a sight impairment (partially sighted) if they also have a significant field loss.

The prevalence review undertaken by Tate et al (2005) noted that there is a scarcity of data about adults of working age in the UK. In particular, information is lacking on less severe levels of visual acuity. This section therefore gives estimates of the population of people with sight loss sufficient to be registered or registrable as blind or partially sighted.

Only England and Scotland record registration figures by age group, although they use slightly different age bands. The age band for England is 18 – 64 and for Scotland it is 16 – 64.

The figures for England and Scotland are taken from the most recent registration data, which are for year ending 31 March 2006. They are presented below:

Actual numbers in England in 2005/2006 of registered blind and partially sighted people aged 18 – 64

• Registered blind = 33,425
• Registered partially sighted = 29,305
• Total = 62,730

Actual numbers in Scotland in 2005/2006 of registered blind and partially sighted people aged 16 – 64

• Registered blind = 4679
• Registered partially sighted = 3231
• Total = 7910

Estimated numbers of registerable blind and partially sighted people aged 16 – 64/18 - 64 for Wales

• Estimated blind population using prevalence 0.16% = 2865
• Estimated blind population using prevalence 0.2% = 3581
• Estimated partially sighted using prevalence 0.14% = 2507
• Total estimate for ages 18 – 64 = 5372 to 6088

Because the registration figures for Wales do not give age bands we have estimated the figures for people of working age, based on the prevalence of registered blind and partially sighted people in England and Scotland.

Estimated numbers of registerable blind and partially sighted people aged 16– 64/18 - 64 for Northern Ireland

• Estimated blind population using prevalence 0.16% = 1698
• Estimated blind population using prevalence 0.2% = 2123
• Estimated partially sighted using prevalence 0.14% = 1486
• Total estimate for ages 18 – 64 = 3184 to 3609

Because the registration figures for Northern Ireland do not give age bands we have estimated the figures for people of working age, based on the prevalence of registered blind and partially sighted people in England and Scotland.

Estimated numbers of registerable blind and partially sighted people aged 16/18 – 64 for the UK

Because of the differences in reporting years and the different age bands used there are difficulties in bringing the above figures together to provide a single population estimate for the whole of the UK. Taking the England and Scotland registration figures (and as noted, the Scotland age band starts at age 16 while for England this is age 18) and the Wales and Northern Ireland estimates for the 18 – 64 age group, we can arrive at a very approximate estimate for the numbers of the working age population registerable as blind or partially sighted of between 79,196 and 80,337. This gives a round estimate of 80,000 people.

Total estimated population for people with registerable sight loss aged 18 – 64 is therefore 80,000 rounded.

This equates to 1 in 500 people in the UK aged 18 to 64 with a registrable sight loss.

4.3 Prevalence of sight problems in older people in the UK

This section provides estimates of the prevalence of sight problems in older people.

Sight loss - ages 75 and over (VA <6/18, commonly described as blind or partially sighted)

The MRC study cited in table 1 (Evans et al, 2002, cited in Tate et al, 2005) estimated that:

• 8.5% of people aged 75 to 84 had sight loss at a level that would be registerable as blind or partially sighted or VA less than 6/18; and
• 26.8% of people aged 85 and over had sight loss at a level that would be registerable as blind or partially sighted or VA less than 6/18.

Applying the ONS mid year 2005 population estimates to these ratios gives the estimated numbers of older people with sight loss that would be registerable as blind or partially sighted or VA less than 6/18 as:

• 291,091in the UK aged 75 to 84
• 315,061in the UK aged 85 and over.
• 606,152 in the UK all aged 75 and over (includes ages 85+)

Sight loss - ages 65 to 74 (VA <6/18, commonly described as blind or partially sighted)

As the MRC study did not cover the 65 to 74 age group we have used prevalence estimates from the NDNS study (which is a small sample of only 475, but is the only reasonable source at present). The NDNS study estimated that 5.6% of people aged 65 to 74 in the community had a sight loss at a level that would be registerable as blind or partially sighted or VA less than 6/18.

Applying the ONS mid-year population estimates to this rate gives an estimate for people aged 65 to 74 of: 282,700

Therefore, in the UK as a whole the estimated number of people aged 65 and over who have a significant visual impairment at a level that would be registerable, or VA less than 6/18 is: 857,750.

All levels of significant sight loss – ages 65 to 74 (VA <6/12)

However, if we extend the definition to sight loss that affects everyday life, (VA less than 6/12) and use the NDNS study (which as previously noted, is based on a small sample of only 475, but is the only available reasonable source) we get the following prevalence rates for people aged 65 – 74 which, when applied to the mid-2005 population estimates gives:

15.8% aged 65 to 74 = 797,631

This gives a round estimate of 800,000 people aged 65 to 74 whose sight significantly affects their daily life.

All levels of significant sight loss – ages 75+ (VA <6/12)

For people aged 75+ we can use the MRC study prevalence rates for this extended definition of sight loss, and we get:

• 18.7% for ages 75 – 84 (applied to pop 3,424,600) = 640,400
• 45.8% for ages 85+ (applied to pop 1,175,900) = 538,562
• Total estimated population for the UK for people aged over 65 = 1,976,593, or a round estimate of 2,000,000.
• This equates to 1 in 5 people aged 65+ in the UK with a sight loss that significantly affects their daily life.

Gender of older people with sight problems

The MRC study found that of the population of people with significant sight loss at a level that would be registerable, or VA less than 6/18 aged 75+ in the UK, 74% were women and 26% were men.

Applying these percentages to the estimated 606,152 population of people with significant sight loss in the UK aged 75+ this gives rounded estimates of:

• 448,500 women aged 75+ with significant sight loss (at a level that would be registerable or VA<6/18)
• 157,600 men aged 75+ with significant sight loss (at a level that would be registerable or VA<6/18)

Causes of sight problems in older people

Table 2: Causes of significant sight problems in the population aged 75 years and over (at a level that would be registerable, or VA less than 6/18)

Cause	Percentage of population (for binocular VA <6/18)	Estimated population size (rounded) %
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)	36.2	219,400
Refractive error	31.6	191,500
Cataract	24.5	148,500
Glaucoma	7.9	47,900
Myopic degeneration	2.9	17,500
Diabetic eye disease	2.3	13,900

Notes for Table 2

1. The source of the prevalence rates in column two is an add-on study to the MRC study, which was funded by the Thomas Pocklington Trust

2. The estimated population figures in column 3 have been calculated by applying the prevalence rates to the overall population estimate for the population with significant sight loss aged 75+ that is detailed in section 4.3 (i.e.606,152).

3. The total in column three exceeds 606,152 because some people may have more than one of the eye conditions listed.

4.4 Further reading

List of references and acronyms used in the review.

Charles N (2007) 'Estimates of the number of older people with a visual impairment in the UK' British Journal of Visual Impairment, 25(3), 199 - 215.

Statistics on sight problems - further resources - other useful links and reports investigating prevalence of sight loss in UK and worldwide.

Content author: webeditor@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 08/04/2008 18:38