Prevalence and Incidence of Cataracts

About prevalence and incidence statistics: The term 'prevalence' of Cataracts usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Cataracts at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Cataracts refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Cataracts diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.

Prevalance of Cataracts: 5,500,000 people have a cataract interfering with their vision in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)
Prevalance Rate: approx 1 in 49 or 2.02% or 5.5 million people in USA [about data]
Incidence (annual) of Cataracts: 400,000 new cases of cataract occur each year in the US (Research to Prevent Blindness, NISE, NSF)
Incidence Rate: approx 1 in 679 or 0.15% or 400,000 people in USA [about data]

Prevelance statistics about Cataracts: The following statistics relate to the prevalence of Cataracts:

58 per 1000 with cataracts (NHIS95)
2.0% of population self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
1.5% of male population self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
2.4% of female population self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
361,000 people self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
239,000 women self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
122,000 men self-reported having a cataract in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)

Incidence statistics about Cataracts: The following statistics relate to the incidence of Cataracts:

1 infants were born alive with congenital cataracts in the UK 2002 (University of Ulster, 2003)
0 fetal deaths or still births occurred due to congenital cataracts in the UK 2002 (University of Ulster, 2003)
0 cases of induced abortions occurred following prenatal diagnosis of congenital cataracts in the UK 2002 (University of Ulster, 2003)
Congenital cataracts occurred in 0.34 per 10,000 births in the UK 2002 (University of Ulster, 2003)

Last revision: May 26, 2003

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