WHO definitions of vision loss severity:
"The International Classification of Diseases 11 (2018) classifies vision impairment into two groups, distance and near presenting vision impairment.
Distance vision impairment:
Mild – presenting visual acuity worse than 6/12
Moderate – presenting visual acuity worse than 6/18
Severe – presenting visual acuity worse than 6/60
Blindness – presenting visual acuity worse than 3/60
Near vision impairment:
Presenting near visual acuity worse than N6 or M.08 with existing correction."
Citation formats
Vision impairments in the United Kingdom 1990-2020, by severity
In 2020, approximately **** million individuals in the United Kingdom were classified as having moderate-severe vision loss, while around *** thousand Brits were blind. Across the thirty year time period shown the number of sufferers with vision loss has increased in the UK.
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IAPB. (December 1, 2020). Number of individuals affected with vision loss in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2020, by severity [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 24, 2026, from /statistics/1200836/vision-impairments-in-the-uk/
IAPB. "Number of individuals affected with vision loss in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2020, by severity." Chart. December 1, 2020. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 24, 2026. /statistics/1200836/vision-impairments-in-the-uk/
IAPB. (2020). Number of individuals affected with vision loss in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2020, by severity. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 24, 2026. /statistics/1200836/vision-impairments-in-the-uk/
IAPB. "Number of Individuals Affected with Vision Loss in The United Kingdom from 1990 to 2020, by Severity." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 1 Dec 2020, /statistics/1200836/vision-impairments-in-the-uk/
IAPB, Number of individuals affected with vision loss in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2020, by severity ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1200836/vision-impairments-in-the-uk/ (last visited July 24, 2026)
Number of individuals affected with vision loss in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2020, by severity [Graph], IAPB, December 1, 2020. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1200836/vision-impairments-in-the-uk/
