Prevalence of Glaucoma

“Prevalence of Glaucoma Among U.S. Adults in 2022” published in JAMA Ophthalmology, has found that approximately 4.22 million people in the United States have glaucoma

This prevalence number encompasses 1.62% of adults ages 18 and older.  Of those, 1.49 million (0.57% of adults ages 18 and older) have vision-affecting glaucoma, with substantial variation in prevalence across demographic subgroups, U.S. states, and counties in 2022.

Prevalence of Glaucoma Among U.S. Adults in 2022

Among those ages 40 and older, 2.56% have glaucoma and 0.91% have vision-affecting glaucoma.

Previous estimates of glaucoma prevalence published in 2016 were 2.1% of adults ages 40 years and older and did not include estimates for those under 40 years old, or estimates of vision-affecting glaucoma.

New Study Finds Higher Prevalence of Glaucoma Than Previously Estimated
New Study Finds Higher Prevalence of Glaucoma Than Previously Estimated
New Study Finds Higher Prevalence of Glaucoma Than Previously Estimated
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases which cause loss of sight by damaging the optic nerve....
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases which cause loss of sight by damaging the optic nerve....
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Additional Findings of the Study Include:

  • Black individuals are about 3 times as likely to have vision-affecting glaucoma as compared to White individuals.
  • An estimated 1.94 million individuals with male sex/gender and 2.29 million individuals with female sex/gender are living with glaucoma.
  • One in about 180 adults have vision loss from glaucoma, with risk increasing with age.

Infographics, Prevalence of Glaucoma

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Why is Glaucoma Prevalence Data Important?

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Glaucoma

Glaucoma Financial Assistance Information

Taking Eye Drop Medications

The Glaucoma Community

The Glaucoma Educator Course

The Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System

This  study was supported by funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vision Health Initiative (cooperative agreement NU58DP007190, “Improving and Enhancing the US Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System.”