VISION PROBLEMS IN THE U.S.
Prevalence of Adult Vision Impairment and Age-Related Eye Disease in America

North Carolina

Blindness

27,880 people in North Carolina age 40 and older are blind

Legal blindness is typically defined as visual acuity
with best correction in the better eye worse than or equal to 20/200
or a visual field extent of less than 20 degrees in diameter.

 

Vision Impairment

87,109 people in North Carolina age 40 and older are visually impaired

Vision Impairment is defined as having 20/40 or worse
vision in the better eye even with eyeglasses.

Cataract --

562,051 people in North Carolina age 40 and older have cataracts

Cataract is a clouding of the eye's naturally clear lens.
One in every six people in this age range will be affected by cataract.
By age 80, more than half of all Americans have cataract.

 

Glaucoma

66,184 people in North Carolina age 40 and older have glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease that causes a gradual degeneration of cells
that make up the optic nerve. As nerve cells die, vision is slowly lost.
Often, the loss of vision is unnoticeable until significant nerve damage has occurred.

 

Diabetic Retinopathy

150,591 people in North Carolina age 18 and older have diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes affecting
the tiny blood vessels of the retina. These vessels can break down, leak,
become blocked, or abnormal new blood vessels may grow
on the surface of the retina -- impairing vision over time.

 

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

42,588 people in North Carolina age 50 and older have AMD

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) primarily affects the part
of the retina responsible for sharp central vision. Dry AMD (non-exudative)
is the most common form of the disease. Wet AMD (exudative) is less
common, but is more threatening to vision.