Economic and Societal Impacts of Vision Impairment: A Comprehensive Review
Antara Chakraborty1* and Aritri Mal2
1Department of Optometry, Acharya Institute of Allied Health Sciences, RGUHS, Bangalore, India
2Department of Optometry, Sanjeev Netralaya, Jamshedpur, India
*Corresponding Author: Antara Chakraborty, Department of Optometry, Acharya Institute of Allied Health Sciences, Rguhs, India.
Published: October 01, 2024
DOI: 10.55162/MCMS.07.244
Abstract
VI is a worldwide societal issue with significant economic and social consequences. This review provides an overview of the economic burden due to the direct costs of health care, loss of productivity, and costs of informal care. In developed countries such as the United States, the estimated cost of VI from an economic viewpoint is in billions of dollars annually. In developing countries, such as India, the economic loss is even more. The review also underlines the consequences of socio-economic inequity, which further heightens the burden that is imposed by VI, especially in those settings where eye care services are scarce. These results point to the urgent need for better eye care infrastructure and targeted public health interventions, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries, to reduce economic and social burdens from VI and improve quality of life among affected individuals.
Keywords: vision impairment; economic burden; health care costs; productivity loss; socio-economic inequalities; eye care services
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