New Global Study Confirms: AMD-Related Vision Loss Has More Than Doubled Since 1990

A major new analysis published in The Lancet Global Health has provided the most comprehensive picture yet of the growing global burden of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Drawing on data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021, the study examined AMD-related vision impairment across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021, with projections extending to 2050.

A growing challenge for public health

The findings are striking. Globally, the number of people living with vision impairment due to AMD more than doubled over three decades, rising from an estimated 3.64 million in 1990 to 8.06 million in 2021. In the same period, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with AMD increased by 91%. Looking ahead, the researchers project that the number of individuals affected could rise to 21.34 million by 2050 if current trends continue.

Despite the growing absolute numbers, there are some encouraging signs. Age-standardised prevalence declined by 5.53% and age-standardised DALY rates fell by 19.09% between 1990 and 2021, suggesting that improvements in healthcare access and tobacco reduction efforts are having a positive effect, particularly in lower-income settings. The study confirmed tobacco use as the only modifiable risk factor meeting inclusion criteria for this analysis, estimating that eliminating tobacco use could substantially reduce the future burden of AMD.

Why this matters for I-SCREEN

These findings reinforce the urgency of the work being carried out by the I-SCREEN project. With the global population ageing rapidly and the number of people at risk of AMD continuing to grow, the need for accessible, cost-effective screening tools has never been greater.

The study’s authors highlight that introducing cost-effective diagnostics, especially in low- and middle-income countries, alongside targeted tobacco control measures, could significantly reduce the global burden of AMD-related vision impairment. This aligns directly with I-SCREEN’s mission: developing an AI-based system that enables local eye care professionals, including opticians and optometrists, to carry out reliable AMD screening using OCT technology, making early detection widely accessible through a cloud-based infrastructure.

Early detection remains the most effective strategy for preserving vision in AMD. By empowering community-based eye care providers with advanced AI-driven diagnostic tools, I-SCREEN contributes to exactly the kind of scalable, equitable screening solution that the global evidence calls for.

Further reading: Analysis of the burden of age-related macular degeneration (Ophthalmology Times).