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## Vision disorders & blindness

Common causes of vision impairment and blindness are *degenerative diseases* such as:

- **Age-related macular** degeneration: (AMD) a disease that affects the retina and a person's Central vision
- **Glaucoma**: group of diseases in the optic nerve
- **Diabetic retinopathy**: complications of diabetes that affect the blood vessels of the retina
- **Cataract**: clouding of the lens resulting in a blurred image

Degenerative eye diseases are the leading cause of blindness among Australians 55+.

The risk of an individual experiencing vision impairment during their lifetime, as a result of a degenerative eye disease, is 36.3%. The chance that an individual will have permanent site loss or blindness during their lifetime is 18.2%

- Trauma to the eye is the leading cause of blindness in one eye
- Many eye injuries are sustained as a result of Sport or work, particularly among men of working age
- The risk of depression in people with vision impairment is 3 times higher than in those without impairment

![vision disorder and blindness cost to care sapience financial](https://www.finallysorted.com.au/images/cost-to-care/vision-disorder-and-blindness-cost-to-care-sapience-financial.svg)

![the cost of vision imparement and blindness cost to care sapience financial](https://www.finallysorted.com.au/images/cost-to-care/the-cost-of-vision-imparement-and-blindness-cost-to-care-sapience-financial.svg)