A study published recently in JAMA Ophthalmology, “Prevalence of Glaucoma Among US Adults in 2022,” provides higher-than-expected estimates of the incidence of glaucoma as well as how many of those with the condition experience vision loss. The new data indicate that approximately 4.22 million people in the U.S. have glaucoma (1.62 percent of the population), with 1.49 million of these individuals having “vision-affecting glaucoma.” The incidence increases with age, with 2.56 percent ages 40 and older having glaucoma and 0.9 percent having vision affected by the condition. Results also found “substantial demographic and geographic subgroups, U.S. states, and counties in 2022.” For example, Black individuals experience a risk that is three times higher for glaucoma that affects vision compared with White individuals. Rates of glaucoma also vary by location. Mississippi has the highest prevalence rate (1.95 percent) and Utah the lowest (1.11 percent). “’Up-to-date estimates of how many people have glaucoma in a certain area are vital for addressing the problem. This kind of information is important for formulating evidence-based policy and public health solutions,’” according to Joshua Ehrlich, MD, first author of the study. The study was written by researchers from NORC at the University of Chicago; the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington (Seattle); the University of Michigan’s Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and their Institute for Social Research, Glaucoma Center for Excellence; Massachusetts Eye and Ear; and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Vision Health Initiative. Prevent Blindness provided dissemination support. For more details, read the Prevent Blindness News piece entitled “New Study Finds Higher Prevalence of Glaucoma Than Previously Estimated.” For the full study, read the JAMA Network article on the Prevalence of Glaucoma Among US Adults in 2022.
