© 2009 The International Eye Trust.

Blindness and degenerative eye disease: USA and global demographics

Around the world over 40 million people are without sight.

A further 160 million have serious vision issues. As the number of the elderly grows more people will be diagnosed with these geriatric diseases. Projections for  2020 expect about double today's numbers.

90% of blind people suffer from AMD.

AMD is the leading cause of legal blindness for Americans over 65 years of age.

2000 people newly diagnosed with degenerative eye disease every day in USA.

1.75 million Americans 40 years and older have advanced AMD (blind),

•7.3 million people with intermediate AMD are at substantial risk for vision loss. (Together with the over half a million who have Retinitis Pigmentosa(R.P.), the next leading cause of blindness).

A further 1.6 million Americans will go blind in the next 10 years.

Age breakdown

•3.8% of Americans between the ages of 50-59 have AMD

•14.4% of Americans between the ages 70-79 have AMD

That's 10 million Americans who need our help right here, right now!