Abstract
Purpose:
This study estimates the global burden of potential productivity lost due to uncorrected presbyopia.
Methods:
Population data from the United States (US) Census Bureau were combined with the estimated presbyopia prevalence, age of onset, employment rate, per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in current US dollars, and near vision impairment disability weights from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study to estimate the global loss of productivity from presbyopia in each country in 2011. Upper and lower estimates were made. The lower estimate replicated earlier work on productivity loss due to uncorrected distance refractive error. The upper estimate assumed that people contribute to global productivity up to the age of 65.
Results:
There were an estimated 1,272 million people with presbyopia worldwide in 2011. A total of 244 million people with uncorrected or under-corrected presbyopia among people under 50 years of age were associated with a potential productivity loss of US$11,023 million (0.016% of global GDP). Correcting presbyopia to the level achieved in Europe would reduce the burden to US$1,390 million (0.002% of global GDP). If all those under 65 years are assumed to be productive, the potential productivity loss would be $25,367 million or 0.037% of global GDP.
Conclusions:
Even with conservative assumptions regarding the productive population, presbyopia is a considerable burden and correction would have a significant impact on productivity in lower income countries.