According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the combined economic impact of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and refractive error among Americans aged 40 and older estimates a total financial burden of major visual disorders of $35.4 billion comprised of $16.2 billion in direct medical costs, $11.1 billion in other direct costs, and $8 billion in productivity losses, in 2004 dollars. Annually, the federal government and state Medicaid agencies pay at least $13.7 billion of these costs.
Visit the CDC site for more information on this topic.
According to the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR):
- Eye disease and vision loss cost the United States $68 billion annually.
- The average annual salary for visually impaired adults is nearly $10,000 less than for those with normal vision.
- The visually impaired are also less likely to be employed — 44% compared with 85% of adults with normal vision.