Dtsch Med Wochenschr 2012; 137 - A44
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1323207

Recent data suggest a considerable decrease in total and cause-specific incidences of blindness in Germany – Decrease in the incidences of blindness in Germany

H Claessen 1, B Bertram 2, C Trautner 3, G Giani 1, I Zöllner 4, A Icks 1
  • 1Deutsches Diabetes Zentrum, Düsseldorf
  • 2Augenheilkunde, Aachen
  • 3Fachhochschule Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel Fachbereich Gesundheitswesen, Wolfsburg
  • 4Landesgesundheitsamt Baden-Württemberg - Abteilung IV: Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsberichterstattung, Stuttgart

Objectives:

To estimate the recent population-based incidences of all-cause and cause-specific blindness in Germany and compare them with results from a similar study conducted in 1994–1998.

Methods:

All blindness allowance recipients newly registered between January 2008 and December 2009 in a region in southern Germany (population, approximately 3.5 million) were assessed and their ophthalmological reports reviewed. The main causes of blindness were identified and their incidences estimated.

Results:

There were 572 newly registered cases of blindness allowance. The all-cause incidence of blindness (per 100,000 person-years) in the general population was 8.4 (95% confidence interval, 7.8–9.2), and the highest incidences were for macular degeneration (3.4; 3.0–3.9), diabetic retinopathy (0.8; 0.6–1.1) and glaucoma (0.7; 0.5–0.9). During the last two decades, blindness incidences decreased for all the main causes (standardised to the West German population 1991: 12.3; 11.9–12.7 in 1994–1998 vs. 7.3; 6.7–8.0 in 2008–2009). The highest absolute decrease was for macular degeneration and the highest relative decrease was for cataract.

Conclusions:

The most frequent main causes of blindness in Germany remained macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Our findings suggest a remarkable decrease in the incidences of blindness, probably because of new diagnostic options and effective treatments. This result is in line with some, but not all findings in other countries.

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