VEHSS Composite Prevalence Estimates
2017, 2019, 2021. This dataset contains estimates of the prevalence of visual acuity loss and major eye diseases generated using a Bayesian meta-analytic modeling approach that combines information from multiple data sources to produce comprehensive estimates of prevalence by age, race, and gender at the national, state and county levels. These composite prevalence estimates are the primary surveillance measures developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vision & Eye Health Surveillance System (VEHSS).

For more information about these estimates including summary tables and maps, methods, and links to related publications visit https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/vehss/estimates/index.html
To view this data in the VEHSS interactive data visualization application, visit https://ddt-vehss.cdc.gov/ and search for “VEHSS Composite Prevalence Estimate”.

Visual Acuity Loss:
Visual acuity loss prevalence estimates represent best-corrected visual acuity in the better-seeing eye and are included in rows where Category=’Measured Visual Acuity’. Rows with Subgroup = ‘Any vision loss' represents any impairment or blindness of 20/40 or worse; rows with Subgroup = 'US-defined blindness' refers to the subset of vision loss that is 20/200 or worse.

Age Related Macular Degeneration:
The age-related macular degeneration (AMD) estimates represent AMD as measured with retinal imaging examination, and are included in rows where Category = ‘Age Related Macular Degeneration’. The Subgroup ‘Vision threatening AMD’ includes patients with geographic atrophy, wet-form AMD, or choroidal neovascularization in either eye. The Subgroup ‘Non-vision threatening AMD’ includes patients with early or intermediate dry-form AMD defined as retinal pigment epithelium abnormalities or drusen ≥125 µm in the worse-affected eye, and do not have vision threatening AMD.

Diabetic Retinopathy:
The diabetic retinopathy (DR) estimates represent DR as measured with retinal imaging examination, and are included in rows where Category=’Diabetic Eye Diseases’. The Subgroup ‘Vision threatening DR’ includes patients with severe non-proliferative DR, proliferative DR, and diabetic macular edema. The Subgroup ‘Non-vision threatening DR’ is defined as patients with mild-moderate non-proliferative DR or unspecified DR, and do not have vision threatening DR.

Glaucoma:
VEHSS Composite Prevalence Estimates for glaucoma are forthcoming.

Age Groups:
The VEHSS Composite Prevalence Estimates are available by major age groups (All ages, ages 0-17, 18-39, 40-64, 65-84, 85+) and detailed (5-year) age groups, which are indicated by the text “by detailed age groups” in the ‘Indicator’ field.

Prevalence Data Type:
These estimates are also available as crude (Data_Value_Type = ‘Crude Prevalence’) or adjusted data (Data_Value_Type=’Adjusted Prevalence). Crude Prevalence is the estimate of the actual number and percentage of people living with each condition. Adjusted Prevalence estimates are adjusted to match the national population by age, race/ethnicity, and gender. Adjusted prevalence estimates can be used to help identify disparities in prevalence between geographic areas that are not explained by differences in demographic characteristics.

Data Sources:
Data sources for VEHSS Composite Prevalence Estimates include the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the American Community Survey (ACS), the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Medicare Fee-For-Service claims, the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System, MarketScan commercial insurance claims, the Health Resources & Service Administration’s Area Resources File, and published examination study results from the Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study (BPEDS), the Chinese American Eye Study (CHES), the Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group (EDPRG), the Los Angeles Latino E

2014-15 merged, 2016-17 merged. This dataset is a de-identified summary table of vision and eye health data indicators from NHIS, stratified by all available combinations of age group, race/ethnicity, gender, and risk factor. NHIS is an annual household survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics at CDC that monitors trends in illness, disabilities, and progress towards national health objectives. Approximate sample size is 35,000 households and 87,500 persons annually. NHIS data for VEHSS includes questions related to Visual Function. Data were suppressed for cell sizes less than 30 persons, or where the relative standard error more than 30% of the mean. Data will be updated as it becomes available. Detailed information on VEHSS NHIS analyses can be found on the VEHSS NHIS webpage (link). Additional information about NHIS can be found on the NHIS website (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/about_nhis.htm). The VEHSS NHIS dataset was last updated in November 2019.

1999-2008; 2005-2008. This dataset is a de-identified summary table of vision and eye health data indicators from NHANES, stratified by all available combinations of age group, race/ethnicity, gender, and risk factor. NHANES is a program of studies conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics at CDC designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the U.S, and combines interviews and physical examinations. NHANES stopped collecting vision and eye health data in 2008. Approximate sample size is 5,000 persons per year. NHANES data for VEHSS includes questions and examinations related to Visual Function, Vision Exam Measures, Eye Health Conditions, Service Utilization, and Examination Measures. Data were suppressed for cell sizes less than 30 persons, or where the relative standard error more than 30% of the mean. Detailed information on VEHSS NHANES analyses can be found on the VEHSS NHANES webpage (https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/vehss/data/national-surveys/national-health-and-nutrition-examination-survey.html). Additional information about NHANES can be found on the NHANES website (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm). The VEHSS NHANES dataset was last updated in June 2018.