Global Glaucoma Prevalence: Burden and Projection to 2060

Ziyao Wang¹, Can Can Xue², Yiman Li³, You Wu⁴, Zhe Pan⁵, Fan Li³, Carol Y Cheung⁶, Kyoko Ohno-Matsui⁷, David S Friedman⁸, David Garway-Heath⁹, Linda M Zangwill¹⁰, Balwantray C Chauhan¹¹, Claude F Burgoyne¹², Yih Chung Tham¹³, Chun Zhang¹⁴, Jost B Jonas¹⁵, Ching-Yu Cheng¹⁶, Tien Yin Wong¹⁷, Ya Xing Wang¹⁸

Affiliations

¹ From the Department of Ophthalmology (Z.W.), Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China; Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (Z.W., Z.P., F.L., C.Z., J.B.J., T.Y.W., Y.X.W.), Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
² Singapore Eye Research Institute (C.C.X., Y.C.T., J.B.J., C.Y.C., T.Y.W.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
³ Department of Ophthalmology (Y.L.), Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
⁴ Institute for Hospital Management (Y.W.), Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
⁵ From the Department of Ophthalmology (Z.W.), Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
⁶ Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (C.Y.C.), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
⁷ Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science (K.O.M.), Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
⁸ Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital (D.S.F.), Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
⁹ NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (D.G.H.), London, UK.
¹⁰ Hamilton Glaucoma Center (L.M.Z.), Shiley Eye Institute, Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.
¹¹ Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.C.C.), Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada.
¹² Optic Nerve Head Research Laboratory (C.F.B.), Discoveries in Sight Research Laboratories, Devers Eye Institute, Legacy Health System, Portland, Oregon, USA.
¹³ Singapore Eye Research Institute (C.C.X., Y.C.T., J.B.J., C.Y.C., T.Y.W.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Innovation and Precision Eye Health; and Department of Ophthalmology (Y.C.T., C.Y.C.), National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore, Singapore; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program (Y.C.T.), Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁴ Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (Z.W., Z.P., F.L., C.Z., J.B.J., T.Y.W., Y.X.W.), Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
¹⁵ Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (Z.W., Z.P., F.L., C.Z., J.B.J., T.Y.W., Y.X.W.), Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Singapore Eye Research Institute (C.C.X., Y.C.T., J.B.J., C.Y.C., T.Y.W.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore; Rothschild Foundation Hospital (J.B.J.), Institut Français de Myopie, Paris, France; Privatpraxis Prof Jonas und Dr Panda-Jonas (J.B.J.), Heidelberg, Germany.
¹⁶ Singapore Eye Research Institute (C.C.X., Y.C.T., J.B.J., C.Y.C., T.Y.W.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Innovation and Precision Eye Health; and Department of Ophthalmology (Y.C.T., C.Y.C.), National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁷ Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (Z.W., Z.P., F.L., C.Z., J.B.J., T.Y.W., Y.X.W.), Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Singapore Eye Research Institute (C.C.X., Y.C.T., J.B.J., C.Y.C., T.Y.W.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁸ Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (Z.W., Z.P., F.L., C.Z., J.B.J., T.Y.W., Y.X.W.), Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: yaxingw@gmail.com.

PMID: 41421762
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2025.12.013

Free article

Review

Global Glaucoma Prevalence: Burden and Projection to 2060

Ziyao Wang et al. Am J Ophthalmol. 2026 Mar.

Free article

. 2026 Mar:283:324-335.

doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2025.12.013. Epub 2025 Dec 18.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ From the Department of Ophthalmology (Z.W.), Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China; Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (Z.W., Z.P., F.L., C.Z., J.B.J., T.Y.W., Y.X.W.), Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
² Singapore Eye Research Institute (C.C.X., Y.C.T., J.B.J., C.Y.C., T.Y.W.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
³ Department of Ophthalmology (Y.L.), Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
⁴ Institute for Hospital Management (Y.W.), Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
⁵ From the Department of Ophthalmology (Z.W.), Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
⁶ Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (C.Y.C.), The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
⁷ Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science (K.O.M.), Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
⁸ Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital (D.S.F.), Glaucoma Center of Excellence, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
⁹ NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (D.G.H.), London, UK.
¹⁰ Hamilton Glaucoma Center (L.M.Z.), Shiley Eye Institute, Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, La Jolla, California, USA.
¹¹ Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (B.C.C.), Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada.
¹² Optic Nerve Head Research Laboratory (C.F.B.), Discoveries in Sight Research Laboratories, Devers Eye Institute, Legacy Health System, Portland, Oregon, USA.
¹³ Singapore Eye Research Institute (C.C.X., Y.C.T., J.B.J., C.Y.C., T.Y.W.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Innovation and Precision Eye Health; and Department of Ophthalmology (Y.C.T., C.Y.C.), National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore, Singapore; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program (Y.C.T.), Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁴ Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (Z.W., Z.P., F.L., C.Z., J.B.J., T.Y.W., Y.X.W.), Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
¹⁵ Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (Z.W., Z.P., F.L., C.Z., J.B.J., T.Y.W., Y.X.W.), Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Singapore Eye Research Institute (C.C.X., Y.C.T., J.B.J., C.Y.C., T.Y.W.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore; Rothschild Foundation Hospital (J.B.J.), Institut Français de Myopie, Paris, France; Privatpraxis Prof Jonas und Dr Panda-Jonas (J.B.J.), Heidelberg, Germany.
¹⁶ Singapore Eye Research Institute (C.C.X., Y.C.T., J.B.J., C.Y.C., T.Y.W.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore; Centre for Innovation and Precision Eye Health; and Department of Ophthalmology (Y.C.T., C.Y.C.), National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁷ Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (Z.W., Z.P., F.L., C.Z., J.B.J., T.Y.W., Y.X.W.), Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Singapore Eye Research Institute (C.C.X., Y.C.T., J.B.J., C.Y.C., T.Y.W.), Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁸ Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute (Z.W., Z.P., F.L., C.Z., J.B.J., T.Y.W., Y.X.W.), Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. Electronic address: yaxingw@gmail.com.

PMID: 41421762
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2025.12.013

Abstract

Purpose: To provide updated global and regional estimates of the prevalence and population burden of open-angle glaucoma (OAG), incorporating both demographic aging and the rising prevalence of myopia-a major risk factor that accelerates onset and increases OAG risk.

Design: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and global projection study.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42024520990) of 77 population-based publications (1991-2023) were conducted to estimate current age- and region-specific OAG prevalence across Global Burden of Disease regions. OAG prevalence in 2060 was modeled based on associated risk ratios (RR: 1.9 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.7-2.1]) and myopia trends synthesized from 57 publications. United Nations population data were integrated to estimate the affected population. Early-onset OAG (20-39 years) in 2060, attributable to high myopia, was estimated separately using projected high myopia prevalence and a pooled OAG prevalence of 4.4% (95% CI, 3.5%-5.3%) in this highly myopic younger population.

Results: Global OAG prevalence (≥40 years) is expected to rise from 2.8% (95% CI, 2.6%-3.0%) in 2024 to 3.5% (95% CI, 3.2%-3.8%) by 2060, with the affected population increasing from 80.5 (95% CI, 75.4-85.6) million to 186.6 (95% CI, 174.3-199.0) million. Aging and demographic changes account for an increase to 77.3 million, leaving the additional 28.9 million cases (27.2% of the total increase) attributed to the myopia epidemic. An estimated 6.1 (95% CI, 5.5-6.7) million early-onset OAG cases due to high myopia will bring the total global OAG population to 192.7 (95% CI, 180.4-205.1) million by 2060. East Asia will experience the greatest relative increase, with prevalence rising by 50.5% from 2.3% (95% CI, 1.8%-2.8%) to 3.4% (95% CI, 2.7%-4.2%).

Conclusions: There is a significant, previously underestimated, increase in OAG burden globally, driven by the rising prevalence of myopia. This adds additional OAG burden, particularly to younger populations less than 40 years. Thus, myopia prevention and new targeted screening strategies are important to tackle OAG, especially in regions with a high prevalence of myopia.

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Global Glaucoma Prevalence: Burden and Projection to 2060

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Global Glaucoma Prevalence: Burden and Projection to 2060

Authors

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Abstract

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