Abstract
This report by Access Economics was commissioned by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to estimate the economic impact of partial sight and blindness in the UK adult population. Five leading causes of partial sight and blindness were investigated, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataract, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and refractive error. The report comprises the following estimates: prevalence in the UK by age, gender, ethnicity, severity, major region and major cause in 2008, and future projections by decade to 2050; direct health system costs in the UK adult population, disaggregated by cost components for 2008; indirect costs in the UK adult population, disaggregated by cost components for 2008; the burden of disease measured in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) in the UK adult population, disaggregated by years of life lost due to premature death (YLL) and healthy years of life lost due to disability (YLD), and converted into a reasonable monetary equivalent; projection of health care system costs and indirect costs for 2009 to 2013; a comparison with Australia, US, Canada and Japan; and economic impact of four hypothetical eye care programs, including promotion of the prevention of eye injuries, improved access to integrated low vision and rehabilitation services, increased regular eye tests for those aged 60 years or more, and increased access to eye care services for minority ethnic groups. The results indicate that partial sight and blindness in the adult population places a large economic cost on the UK, totalling £22.0 billion in 2008.
Original language | English |
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Publisher | Royal National Institute for the Blind |
Commissioning body | Royal National Institute for the Blind |
Number of pages | 202 |
Publication status | Published - 2009 |
Externally published | Yes |