DOI: 10.3886/e242843
title: VEHSS Modeled Estimates

description: VEHSS Composite Prevalence Estimates
2017, 2019, 2021, 2022. 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 sex at the national, state and county levels. These composite prevalence estimates are the primary surveillance measures developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions 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:
The glaucoma estimates represent glaucoma as measured with retinal imaging examination and are included in rows where Category=Glaucoma. The Subgroup Vision affecting glaucoma includes people with glaucoma and abnormal visual field. The Subgroup Non-vision affecting glaucoma is defined as people with glaucoma without an abnormal visual field.


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 sex. 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 Childrens 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 Administrations 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 Eye Study (LALES), the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Cohort (MESA), Diabetic Retinopathy Inpatient Study (DRIPS), Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents & Youth (TODAY), and other studies.
Read less
description: (Downloaded 1/8/2026)