At the European level, the vision impairment has been reported by 18.1% of citizens older than 15 years. Extrapolation of the EHIS data to the whole EU28 population indicates that more than 77 million people had vision impairment in 2014. Majority of them had moderate impairment, that accounted for 16.0% of all population, or 68.5 million people. Severe vision impairment affected 2.1% of citizens that equals to almost nine million people.
Table. Prevalence of vision impairment in the EU countries, by settlement type (degree of urbanisation).
At country level, percent of persons with vision impairment varied more than four-fold, being lowest in Cyprus and highest in Luxembourg (7.8% and 34.7%, respectively). Malta and Cyprus had less than 10 percent of population with vision impairment, in another 22 countries this percentage varied between 10% and 30%, while in Luxembourg and Finland more than 30% of population had vision impairment.
Figure. Percent of population with vision impairment in all settlement types in the EU countries.
Severe vision impairment has been reported by the EHIS participants less frequently, but its prevalence differed more than four-fold, with lowest values in Ireland and highest in Portugal (0.9% and 4.3%, respectively). Ireland and Malta had less than 1 percent of population with severe vision impairment, in another 17 countries this percentage varied between 1% and 2.5%, while in Portugal, Poland, Croatia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary and Slovenia more than 2.5% of population had severe vision impairment.
Table. Prevalence of severe vision impairment in the EU countries, by settlement type (degree of urbanisation), 2014.
Figure. Percent of population with severe vision impairment in all settlement types in the EU countries.
Figure. Prevalence of vision impairment in the EU countries, by settlement type (degree of urbanisation), 2014.
At the European level, any degree of vision impairment was more frequently reported by rural inhabitants (19.9%) compared to cities or towns (17.2% and 17.5%, respectively). Difference in severe vision impairment by settlement type was less prominent, and it was reported by 2.3% of rural, 2.1% of cities, and 1.9% of towns population.
The prevalence of vision impairment increases with age, has affected less than 10% of people 15-24 years old, and almost 40% of citizens older than 75 years. In the latter group the impact of severe vision impairment was especially prominent and reported by almost 9% of people, compared to less than 3% in younger age groups. In general at the EU level, the vision impairment after the age 55 has a tendency to higher rates among rural residents, compared to city and town inhabitants.
Vision impairment by educational attainment level
EHIS also collected information about education level of participants that allows to analyse vision impairment for people with primary, secondary, and tertiary education.
Table. Prevalence of vision impairment in the EU countries, by educational attainment level (2014).
ISCED: International Standard Classification of Education; Levels 0-2: Less than primary, primary and lower secondary education; Levels 3-4: Upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education; Levels 5-8: Tertiary education.