Measures › Disability › Vision Disability
Disability · BRFSS 2023
Vision disability among adults
US estimate 5.5% (95% interval 5.4–5.7), age-adjusted 5.2% (5.1–5.4). Published in the 2023, 2024, 2025 releases.
- Population: All Adults
- Case definition period: Lifetime
- Prevalence (crude and age-adjusted)
Vision disability among adults: CDC's PLACES 2025 release estimates 5.5% nationally (95% confidence interval 5.4–5.7%), or 5.2% age-adjusted, from 2023 BRFSS responses.
Across the 2,956 counties with a 2025 estimate, the median county is 5.5% and the middle half of counties fall between 4.7% and 6.7%; the full range runs from 2.6% to 16.6%. Population-weighted state figures computed by this site (no interval) range from 3.8% (New Hampshire) to 7.2% (New Mexico).
CDC advises that areas may be compared on individual measures but that the estimates should not be used to rank overall health; the county lists below are ordered by point estimate and every row carries its 95% confidence interval.
CDC's definition
A multi-level regression, post-stratification approach was applied to BRFSS and ACS data to compute a detailed probability of having a vision disability (reporting ‘yes’ to the question: “Are you blind or do you have serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses?”). The probability was then applied to the detailed population estimates at the appropriate geographic level to generate the prevalence. The 95% confidence interval was derived using Monte Carlo simulation.
Quoted from CDC's PLACES measure definitions (cdc.gov/places/measure-definitions). BRFSS is the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the telephone survey the model is trained on.
National distribution across counties
Crude county point estimates in the 2025 release, 24 equal bins. Deciles: 10th 4.1%, 25th 4.7%, median 5.5%, 75th 6.7%, 90th 8.2%. Counties without a 2025 estimate (Kentucky, Pennsylvania and the states without the social-needs module) are excluded here.
By state
Crude prevalence is the estimated share of all adults. Age-adjusted prevalence is standardised to the 2000 US standard population so that areas with different age structures can be compared. CDC: "Age-adjusted estimates are only available at the county and place-level."
| State | State figure, crude (site aggregate) | Lowest county | Highest county | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 7.2% | 2.9% | 13.1% | 33 |
| Mississippi | 7.0% | 4.6% | 13.4% | 82 |
| Louisiana | 6.7% | 5.0% | 13.3% | 64 |
| Arkansas | 6.2% | 4.4% | 11.3% | 75 |
| Texas | 6.1% | 3.6% | 16.1% | 253 |
| Alabama | 6.0% | 3.8% | 13.2% | 67 |
| Florida | 6.0% | 3.9% | 10.1% | 67 |
| Kentucky (2024 release) | 6.0% | 3.4% | 11.8% | 120* |
| Oklahoma | 6.0% | 4.3% | 9.7% | 77 |
| Nevada | 5.9% | 4.6% | 9.0% | 17 |
| West Virginia | 5.7% | 4.2% | 9.7% | 55 |
| California | 5.6% | 3.8% | 10.0% | 58 |
| Georgia | 5.6% | 3.2% | 12.1% | 159 |
| South Carolina | 5.6% | 4.3% | 10.1% | 46 |
| Arizona | 5.5% | 5.0% | 11.9% | 15 |
| Tennessee | 5.5% | 3.1% | 10.3% | 95 |
| North Carolina | 5.3% | 3.7% | 10.9% | 100 |
| Hawaii | 5.2% | 5.0% | 9.4% | 5 |
| New York | 5.2% | 3.5% | 10.1% | 62 |
| Missouri | 5.1% | 3.5% | 9.1% | 115 |
| Pennsylvania (2024 release) | 5.1% | 3.4% | 7.7% | 67* |
| Indiana | 5.0% | 2.9% | 7.4% | 92 |
| Delaware | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.4% | 3 |
| Idaho | 4.9% | 3.9% | 7.7% | 44 |
| Michigan | 4.9% | 3.4% | 7.8% | 83 |
| Connecticut | 4.8% | 3.8% | 5.9% | 9 |
| Illinois | 4.8% | 3.4% | 8.3% | 102 |
| Ohio | 4.8% | 2.9% | 6.9% | 88 |
| Alaska | 4.7% | 3.8% | 13.1% | 30 |
| New Jersey | 4.7% | 3.3% | 7.3% | 21 |
| Rhode Island | 4.7% | 3.4% | 5.3% | 5 |
| South Dakota | 4.7% | 3.2% | 16.6% | 66 |
| Virginia | 4.7% | 2.6% | 9.0% | 133 |
| Kansas | 4.6% | 3.0% | 7.5% | 105 |
| Montana | 4.6% | 3.2% | 10.2% | 56 |
| Oregon | 4.6% | 3.8% | 7.5% | 36 |
| Wyoming | 4.6% | 3.1% | 5.8% | 23 |
| Maryland | 4.5% | 3.1% | 6.6% | 24 |
| Wisconsin | 4.5% | 3.3% | 8.5% | 72 |
| Maine | 4.4% | 3.4% | 5.9% | 16 |
| Nebraska | 4.4% | 3.4% | 6.9% | 93 |
| Iowa | 4.3% | 3.0% | 6.2% | 99 |
| Colorado | 4.2% | 2.8% | 9.2% | 64 |
| District of Columbia | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1 |
| Massachusetts | 4.1% | 3.1% | 5.8% | 14 |
| North Dakota | 4.1% | 3.4% | 13.5% | 53 |
| Washington | 4.1% | 3.2% | 8.8% | 39 |
| Minnesota | 4.0% | 3.0% | 8.5% | 87 |
| Utah | 4.0% | 3.1% | 8.4% | 29 |
| Vermont | 4.0% | 3.3% | 6.0% | 14 |
| New Hampshire | 3.8% | 3.4% | 5.5% | 10 |
| State | State figure, age-adjusted (site aggregate) | Counties |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 6.8% | 33 |
| Mississippi | 6.7% | 82 |
| Louisiana | 6.4% | 64 |
| Texas | 6.1% | 253 |
| Arkansas | 5.9% | 75 |
| Oklahoma | 5.8% | 77 |
| Nevada | 5.7% | 17 |
| Alabama | 5.6% | 67 |
| Kentucky (2024 release) | 5.6% | 120* |
| California | 5.5% | 58 |
| Florida | 5.5% | 67 |
| Georgia | 5.4% | 159 |
| Arizona | 5.3% | 15 |
| South Carolina | 5.2% | 46 |
| Tennessee | 5.2% | 95 |
| West Virginia | 5.2% | 55 |
| North Carolina | 5.1% | 100 |
| New York | 4.9% | 62 |
| Hawaii | 4.8% | 5 |
| Missouri | 4.8% | 115 |
| Pennsylvania (2024 release) | 4.8% | 67* |
| Alaska | 4.7% | 30 |
| Idaho | 4.7% | 44 |
| Indiana | 4.7% | 92 |
| Connecticut | 4.6% | 9 |
| Delaware | 4.6% | 3 |
| Illinois | 4.6% | 102 |
| Michigan | 4.6% | 83 |
| Ohio | 4.5% | 88 |
| South Dakota | 4.5% | 66 |
| Virginia | 4.5% | 133 |
| Kansas | 4.4% | 105 |
| New Jersey | 4.4% | 21 |
| Oregon | 4.4% | 36 |
| Rhode Island | 4.4% | 5 |
| District of Columbia | 4.3% | 1 |
| Maryland | 4.3% | 24 |
| Montana | 4.3% | 56 |
| Wyoming | 4.3% | 23 |
| Nebraska | 4.2% | 93 |
| Wisconsin | 4.2% | 72 |
| Colorado | 4.1% | 64 |
| Utah | 4.1% | 29 |
| Iowa | 4.0% | 99 |
| Maine | 4.0% | 16 |
| North Dakota | 4.0% | 53 |
| Washington | 4.0% | 39 |
| Massachusetts | 3.9% | 14 |
| Minnesota | 3.7% | 87 |
| Vermont | 3.6% | 14 |
| New Hampshire | 3.5% | 10 |
State figures are population-weighted county estimates computed by this site (PLACES publishes no state row) and carry no interval; they are listed by point estimate, which is not a ranking of states' health. Lowest and highest county columns are crude point estimates. * This measure was not published for the state in the 2025 release; its figure, county count and county range come from the release in brackets, the most recent that has them.
Highest county estimates
| County | Crude | 95% interval |
|---|---|---|
| Oglala Lakota County, SD | 16.6% | 14.4–18.8 |
| Dimmit County, TX | 16.1% | 14.2–18.3 |
| Todd County, SD | 15.6% | 13.4–18.1 |
| Zavala County, TX | 15.6% | 13.5–17.6 |
| Jim Hogg County, TX | 14.9% | 13.0–16.9 |
| Starr County, TX | 14.6% | 12.4–16.8 |
| Zapata County, TX | 14.5% | 12.4–16.9 |
| Sioux County, ND | 13.5% | 11.8–15.4 |
| Humphreys County, MS | 13.4% | 11.4–15.3 |
| East Carroll Parish, LA | 13.3% | 11.6–15.1 |
| Greene County, AL | 13.2% | 11.5–15.0 |
| Kusilvak Census Area, AK | 13.1% | 11.4–15.0 |
| McKinley County, NM | 13.1% | 11.5–14.9 |
| Presidio County, TX | 13.0% | 11.0–14.9 |
| Bullock County, AL | 12.7% | 11.3–14.4 |
| Sharkey County, MS | 12.7% | 11.2–14.3 |
| Willacy County, TX | 12.6% | 10.7–14.4 |
| Madison Parish, LA | 12.4% | 11.0–14.0 |
| Holmes County, MS | 12.4% | 10.7–14.1 |
| Brooks County, TX | 12.3% | 10.6–14.0 |
| County | Age-adj. | 95% interval |
|---|---|---|
| Oglala Lakota County, SD | 17.5% | 15.3–19.7 |
| Todd County, SD | 16.3% | 14.1–18.9 |
| Dimmit County, TX | 15.5% | 13.5–17.6 |
| Zavala County, TX | 15.3% | 13.2–17.3 |
| Starr County, TX | 14.7% | 12.5–17.0 |
| Zapata County, TX | 14.2% | 12.1–16.5 |
| Jim Hogg County, TX | 14.1% | 12.2–16.0 |
| Kusilvak Census Area, AK | 13.8% | 12.1–15.8 |
| Sioux County, ND | 13.5% | 11.9–15.3 |
| East Carroll Parish, LA | 13.1% | 11.4–14.9 |
| McKinley County, NM | 12.9% | 11.3–14.6 |
| Willacy County, TX | 12.6% | 10.7–14.4 |
| Humphreys County, MS | 12.3% | 10.5–14.2 |
| Bullock County, AL | 11.9% | 10.6–13.5 |
| Holmes County, MS | 11.9% | 10.3–13.5 |
| Brooks County, TX | 11.8% | 10.2–13.5 |
| Greene County, AL | 11.7% | 10.1–13.3 |
| Madison Parish, LA | 11.7% | 10.3–13.2 |
| Tunica County, MS | 11.7% | 10.2–13.4 |
| Corson County, SD | 11.6% | 10.2–13.1 |
Lowest county estimates
| County | Crude | 95% interval |
|---|---|---|
| Falls Church city, VA | 2.6% | 2.3–3.0 |
| Arlington County, VA | 2.8% | 2.5–3.3 |
| Douglas County, CO | 2.8% | 2.4–3.3 |
| Delaware County, OH | 2.9% | 2.4–3.4 |
| Los Alamos County, NM | 2.9% | 2.5–3.3 |
| Hamilton County, IN | 2.9% | 2.5–3.4 |
| Carver County, MN | 3.0% | 2.6–3.5 |
| Johnson County, KS | 3.0% | 2.6–3.6 |
| Dallas County, IA | 3.0% | 2.5–3.5 |
| Broomfield County, CO | 3.0% | 2.6–3.6 |
| Teton County, WY | 3.1% | 2.7–3.7 |
| Loudoun County, VA | 3.1% | 2.7–3.6 |
| Morgan County, UT | 3.1% | 2.7–3.6 |
| Williamson County, TN | 3.1% | 2.6–3.7 |
| Howard County, MD | 3.1% | 2.7–3.6 |
| Nantucket County, MA | 3.1% | 2.7–3.6 |
| King County, WA | 3.2% | 2.8–3.7 |
| Summit County, UT | 3.2% | 2.7–3.8 |
| Lincoln County, SD | 3.2% | 2.7–3.7 |
| Union County, OH | 3.2% | 2.8–3.8 |
| County | Age-adj. | 95% interval |
|---|---|---|
| Falls Church city, VA | 2.5% | 2.2–2.9 |
| Delaware County, OH | 2.7% | 2.3–3.2 |
| Los Alamos County, NM | 2.7% | 2.4–3.1 |
| Douglas County, CO | 2.7% | 2.3–3.2 |
| Hamilton County, IN | 2.8% | 2.4–3.3 |
| Hinsdale County, CO | 2.8% | 2.4–3.3 |
| Arlington County, VA | 2.9% | 2.6–3.4 |
| Williamson County, TN | 2.9% | 2.5–3.5 |
| Hunterdon County, NJ | 2.9% | 2.5–3.4 |
| Carver County, MN | 2.9% | 2.5–3.4 |
| Nantucket County, MA | 2.9% | 2.5–3.4 |
| Johnson County, KS | 2.9% | 2.5–3.4 |
| Dallas County, IA | 2.9% | 2.5–3.4 |
| Pitkin County, CO | 2.9% | 2.5–3.4 |
| Broomfield County, CO | 2.9% | 2.5–3.5 |
| Teton County, WY | 3.0% | 2.6–3.5 |
| Waukesha County, WI | 3.0% | 2.5–3.5 |
| Ozaukee County, WI | 3.0% | 2.5–3.5 |
| Summit County, UT | 3.0% | 2.5–3.5 |
| Morgan County, UT | 3.0% | 2.6–3.5 |
Twenty counties at each end by point estimate. Small counties have wide intervals; many of these intervals overlap one another, so the order within each list is not a meaningful ranking. CDC: "the data should not be used for ranking the overall health of any county, place, census tract, or ZCTA."
National estimate by release
| Release | Crude | Age-adjusted | BRFSS year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 release | — | — | — |
| 2023 release | 5.0% 4.8–5.1 | 4.7% | 2021 |
| 2024 release | 5.7% 5.5–5.8 | 5.4% | 2022 |
| 2025 release | 5.5% 5.4–5.7 | 5.2% | 2023 |
CDC's US row from each release's county file, for reference. Survey questions and modelling details change between releases; see the release pages.
Questions and answers
How does PLACES define "vision disability among adults"?
A multi-level regression, post-stratification approach was applied to BRFSS and ACS data to compute a detailed probability of having a vision disability (reporting ‘yes’ to the question: “Are you blind or do you have serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses?”). The probability was then applied to the detailed population estimates at the appropriate geographic level to generate the prevalence. The 95% confidence interval was derived using Monte Carlo simulation. Population: All Adults. Time period of case definition: Lifetime.
What is the national estimate for vision Disability?
5.5% (95% confidence interval 5.4–5.7%) crude and 5.2% age-adjusted in the 2025 release.
Which counties have the highest and lowest estimates?
The highest county point estimate is 16.6% (Oglala Lakota County, SD) and the lowest 2.6% (Falls Church city, VA). Because the intervals for neighbouring positions usually overlap, the lists are a reference for point estimates, not a ranking.
Is a higher figure better or worse?
This site does not grade measures. CDC groups them as health outcomes, prevention, health risk behaviors, disability, health status and health-related social needs; for prevention measures such as checkups and screening a higher share reports the service, for the others a higher share reports the condition or circumstance.
Where does this data come from?
CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release (data updated 4 Dec 2025); the definition text is CDC's own from its measure definitions pages.
Provenance
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release (data updated 4 Dec 2025), with the 2022, 2023, 2024 releases for reference; US government work, public domain. Dataset on data.cdc.gov. Boundaries and ZIP-to-county relationships: US Census Bureau. Percentages are shown to one decimal as CDC publishes them; state figures are population-weighted means computed by this site. Definition text is CDC's own, from the PLACES measure definitions pages (public domain), with its burden narrative and references omitted. Processing errors are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections. Generated 30 Sep 2026.