1 Royal Victoria Hospital,
² Queens University,
³ The University of Ulster,
Northern Ireland

Purpose

To investigate the availability of data on Visual Impairment (VI) in Europe.

Data on the estimated prevalence and legal definitions of VI from 38 European countries was analysed.

Only 2 European countries were identified as having legal definitions of blindness and low vision which conform to WHO ICD 10 categories. Definitions varied from those based on visual acuity and field measurements alone to those constructed around social and employment law. Data, held by both statutory and voluntary national organisations, is extremely variable and is unlikely to reflect true prevalence patterns of VI throughout Europe.

A major European initiative to accurately quantify the magnitude of VI is required.