The Prevalence of Open-angle Glaucoma Among Blacks and Whites 73 Years and Older

Abstract

The demographics of the United States are changing rapidly, with projections that the number of those 85 years and older will more than quadruple in the next 50 years, from 4.3 million in 2000 to 19.3 million in 2050 (Population Projections Program, Population Division, US Census Bureau, Washington, DC). This major shift in the population pyramid of the United States will place enormous demands on the health care system. Extrapolation from a recent meta-analysis¹of glaucoma prevalence surveys suggests that the number of individuals with glaucoma will increase nearly 50% over the next 15 years, to 3.4 million.