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Causes of vision loss worldwide, 1990–2010: a systematic analysis

Causes of vision loss worldwide, 1990–2010
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Data on causes of vision impairment and blindness are important for development of public health policies, but comprehensive analysis of change in prevalence over time is lacking.

This paper provides a systematic analysis of published and unpublished data on the causes of blindness (visual acuity in the better eye less than 3/60) and moderate and severe vision impairment ([MSVI] visual acuity in the better eye less than 6/18 but at least 3/60) from 1980 to 2012. It estimated the proportions of overall vision impairment attributable to cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, trachoma, and uncorrected refractive error in 1990–2010 by age, geographical region, and year.

Authors:

Rupert R A Bourne, Gretchen A Stevens, Richard A White, Jennifer L Smith, Seth R Flaxman, Holly Price, Jost B Jonas, Jill Keeffe, Janet Leasher, Kovin Naidoo, Konrad Pesudovs, Serge Resnikoff, Hugh R Taylor, on behalf of the Vision Loss Expert Group.

Published in:

The Lancet, November 2013.

Funding:

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Fight for Sight, Fred Hollows Foundation, and Brien Holden Vision Institute.