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Disability

Vision disability

8.4 million people in the U.S. (2.5% of those all ages) have a vision difficulty. It affects 6.1% of people 65 and over and 0.9% of children.

What the Census asks: Blind or serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses.

At a glance

People with this difficulty
8.4 million
Share of people all ages
2.5%
Age 65 and over
6.1%
Children (under 18)
0.9%

Map by county

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By age

Share with a vision difficulty, by age group (number of people)
  • Under 50.4% 72,659
  • 5–171.0% 558,529
  • 18–341.5% 1,105,519
  • 35–642.5% 3,203,739
  • 65–744.4% 1,482,592
  • 75 and over8.7% 1,997,281

Who treats it

Together: 106.4 of these clinicians for every 10,000 people with a vision difficulty.

Clinicians registered with this primary specialty and a practice address, as on our maps. Many other clinicians, such as family doctors, also care for people with this difficulty.

By state

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Specialists per person with this difficulty

Number of Ophthalmology and Optometrists per 10,000 people with a vision difficulty. Lower means each specialist has more people to serve.

The 10 states with the fewest specialists per person with this difficulty
StatePer 10,000SpecialistsPeople with the difficulty
Puerto Rico33.4764228,477
Mississippi47.9588122,633
Louisiana52.3877167,564
New Mexico60.844773,495
West Virginia64.239661,638
Arkansas66.1695105,193
Kentucky67.71,087160,615
Alabama72.51,147158,098
Georgia73.22,086285,161
South Carolina73.81,134153,631
All states
States from fewest to most specialists per person with this difficulty
StatePer 10,000SpecialistsPeople with the difficulty
Puerto Rico33.4764228,477
Mississippi47.9588122,633
Louisiana52.3877167,564
New Mexico60.844773,495
West Virginia64.239661,638
Arkansas66.1695105,193
Kentucky67.71,087160,615
Alabama72.51,147158,098
Georgia73.22,086285,161
South Carolina73.81,134153,631
Nevada75.671294,182
Oklahoma78.41,149146,611
North Carolina81.52,249276,028
Tennessee82.51,738210,550
Texas84.96,860808,081
Arizona91.31,784195,460
Florida96.35,459566,687
Delaware97.023424,127
Idaho99.947447,447
Missouri102.61,675163,265
Virginia109.72,129194,056
Indiana114.61,960171,104
Ohio117.63,336283,693
Utah118.069658,974
New Jersey118.52,308194,731
Montana119.232026,853
Wyoming122.717113,935
Pennsylvania123.83,898314,782
New York124.65,697457,322
Washington126.82,254177,820
Michigan128.02,849222,570
Oregon131.41,372104,395
Maryland132.41,590120,110
Alaska132.724218,236
District of Columbia133.019814,891
Illinois136.33,744274,764
Kansas136.491166,796
California137.311,785858,286
Connecticut137.61,06977,699
New Hampshire143.940628,208
Nebraska144.658740,596
Iowa144.892263,672
Vermont145.319713,556
Maine146.742128,706
Rhode Island147.536824,946
Colorado148.21,782120,209
Wisconsin149.71,665111,223
Hawaii171.650729,543
South Dakota174.031418,047
Massachusetts177.02,396135,391
Minnesota183.31,66290,665
North Dakota185.929015,597

Counties with the highest share

  1. Aibonito Municipio, Puerto Rico 24.0%
  2. Salinas Municipio, Puerto Rico 22.9%
  3. Santa Isabel Municipio, Puerto Rico 22.2%
  4. Coamo Municipio, Puerto Rico 20.4%
  5. Rincón Municipio, Puerto Rico 19.4%
  6. Cidra Municipio, Puerto Rico 19.1%
  7. Buchanan County, Virginia 18.5%
  8. Camuy Municipio, Puerto Rico 17.3%
  9. Cayey Municipio, Puerto Rico 16.9%
  10. Holmes County, Mississippi 16.2%

Counties where at least 10,000 people were counted; survey estimates for smaller counties have wide margins of error.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 (tables B18101–B18107), civilian population living in the community (not in nursing homes or other institutions). People report their own difficulties, or a household member reports for them. Totals are the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico, as on the map. Specialists: NPPES NPI Registry, the same counts as our specialty pages.