Approximated figures.
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."
Countries included as Western Europe: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Citation formats
Vision impairments in Western Europe 2020, by cause
In 2020, there were over *** million people in Western Europe that were affected with moderate-severe vision loss as a result of refractive disorders. On the other hand, *** thousand and *** thousand individuals were classified as blind due to macular degeneration and glaucoma respectively.
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IAPB. (December 1, 2020). Number of individuals affected with vision loss in Western Europe in 2020, by cause and severity [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 31, 2026, from /statistics/1200947/vision-impairments-in-western-europe-by-cause/
IAPB. "Number of individuals affected with vision loss in Western Europe in 2020, by cause and severity." Chart. December 1, 2020. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 31, 2026. /statistics/1200947/vision-impairments-in-western-europe-by-cause/
IAPB. (2020). Number of individuals affected with vision loss in Western Europe in 2020, by cause and severity. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 31, 2026. /statistics/1200947/vision-impairments-in-western-europe-by-cause/
IAPB. "Number of Individuals Affected with Vision Loss in Western Europe in 2020, by Cause and Severity." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 1 Dec 2020, /statistics/1200947/vision-impairments-in-western-europe-by-cause/
IAPB, Number of individuals affected with vision loss in Western Europe in 2020, by cause and severity ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/1200947/vision-impairments-in-western-europe-by-cause/ (last visited July 31, 2026)
Number of individuals affected with vision loss in Western Europe in 2020, by cause and severity [Graph], IAPB, December 1, 2020. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1200947/vision-impairments-in-western-europe-by-cause/