Recent Changes in Trends of Nationwide Incidence of Glaucoma and Associated Visual Impairment in South Korea
1
Department of Ophthalmology, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
2
Department of Ophthalmology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon 35015, Republic of Korea
3
Ranelagh Center for Biosocial Informatics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 07061, Republic of Korea
4
Department of Ophthalmology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University School of Medicine, Sungnam 13497, Republic of Korea
5
Department of Ophthalmology, Jeju National University College of Medicine, Jeju 63241, Republic of Korea
6
Department of Ophthalmology, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju 63241, Republic of Korea
7
Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
8
Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(16), 5691; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165691
Submission received: 9 July 2025
/
Revised: 30 July 2025
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Accepted: 7 August 2025
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Published: 12 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Treatment of Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension)
Abstract
Background/Objectives: We analyzed recent changes in the incidence of glaucoma and associated visual impairment (VI) in Korea over a 16-year period. Methods: We utilized nationwide, longitudinal cohort data from the Korea National Health Insurance System (KNHIS) National Health Screening Cohort from 2004 to 2019 to evaluate the age-standardized incidence rate (SIR) of glaucoma and glaucoma-related VI. VI was determined based on KNHIS health examinations and the National Registry for Visual Disability. The incidence rates were estimated per 100,000 person-years. Joinpoint regression analysis was applied to assess significant changes in incidence trends, and subgroup analyses were conducted by age and sex. Results: The age-SIR of glaucoma increased from 864.1 per 100,000 in 2004 to a peak of 1101.1 in 2016, followed by a decline to 978.9 in 2019. Joinpoint regression identified a significant rise from 2007 to 2015 (annual percent change [APC]: +3.92%), with a subsequent decline (APC: –3.30%). The incidence of glaucoma-related severe VI decreased from 26.23 per 100,000 in 2004 to 8.76 in 2012, remaining stable thereafter at 12.49 in 2019. The VI-to-incidence ratio also declined from 0.030 in 2004 to 0.009 in 2012, which remained stable thereafter at 0.013 in 2019. Females consistently exhibited higher glaucoma incidence but lower VI rates than males. Conclusions: These recent trends highlight the evolving landscape of glaucoma epidemiology in Korea and underscore the need for sustained early detection efforts and optimized patient management.
1. Introduction
Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy and one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide [1,2]. The number of glaucoma patients is projected to exceed 110 million by 2040 due to aging populations and demographic transitions [3]. In South Korea, the incidence of glaucoma nearly doubled between 2002 and 2013 [4], and the number of patients diagnosed with glaucoma increased by more than 120% between 2010 and 2019 [5]. This increase in incidence may be attributed to the rapid aging of the Korean population, improved accessibility to ophthalmic care, and the widespread use of advanced diagnostic technologies, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT).
The increasing prevalence of diagnosed glaucoma may be paralleled by a rising burden of glaucoma-related visual impairment (VI). A previous study by Sun et al. reported a relative reduction in the prevalence of blindness due to glaucoma, especially in high-income countries [6]. However, there remains limited evidence on whether this trend is reflected in national-level data, particularly in Asian countries where normal-tension glaucoma predominates. To date, there is a lack of comprehensive population-based analyses on the visual disability burden among patients newly diagnosed with glaucoma in Korea.
In this context, we conducted a nationwide, longitudinal retrospective cohort study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service (KNHIS) database to assess the trends in the incidence of glaucoma and its associated severe VI over a 16-year period [7,8]. By analyzing age-standardized data and applying joinpoint regression and spline modeling, we aimed to identify changes in temporal patterns and provide updated epidemiologic evidence on the burden of glaucoma in Korea.
2. Methods
2.1. Data Design and Data Source
This study utilized a 16-year database from the KNHIS from 2004 to 2019, which provides comprehensive health coverage to over 97% of the Korean population. The KNHIS database encompasses a wide range of healthcare information, including patient demographics, medical diagnoses, treatment records, and healthcare utilization data [7,8]. In this study, we identified individuals newly diagnosed with glaucoma by extracting the medical records of patients who had been assigned an International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis code of H40, H42, H44.5, or Q15.0 and had received treatment with antiglaucoma medications or had undergone glaucoma surgery. Additionally, cases of glaucoma-related VI were identified using the ICD-10 code H54.
2.2. Participants
The study population comprised individuals aged 40 years and older who received a new diagnosis of glaucoma between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2019. To ensure the accuracy of incident case identification and to rule out other possible causes of sight-threatening diseases, we excluded any individuals with a recorded diagnosis of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and/or age-related macular degeneration between 2002 and 2003. Also, those with a prior history of severe VI were excluded to assess glaucoma-attributed severe VI.
2.3. Outcome
The primary outcome measure was the annual incidence rate of glaucoma, calculated per 100,000 individuals in the population. The secondary outcome focused on trends in glaucoma-related severe VI over the study period. Severe VI was identified using data from the KNHIS health checkup records and the National Disability Registration System [9]. The criteria included a corrected visual acuity worse than 6/60 in the better-seeing eye, as recorded during health screenings. Additionally, legal severe VI was defined as a best-corrected visual acuity of 6/100 or worse in the better eye, or a visual field restricted to 5 degrees or less from fixation in both eyes, persisting for at least six months despite appropriate treatment. Documentation by an ophthalmologist is required for certification of legal severe VI.
2.4. Follow-Up
Participants were observed between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2019. People migrating out of the country or who had died were censored on the relevant date.
2.5. Statistical Analysis
Crude incidence rates were first calculated for each calendar year from 2004 to 2019 using mid-year population estimates derived from the Korean Resident Registration Data (http://kosis.kr; accessed on 1 July 2019). Incidence rates were reported per 100,000 person-years throughout this study. Female-to-male incidence ratios were also computed across all predefined age groups.
Temporal trends in glaucoma incidence and glaucoma-related VI were assessed using joinpoint regression analysis. This statistical method identifies time points at which significant changes in the slope of the trend occur, segmenting the data into distinct intervals. For each segment, the annual percent change (APC) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to quantify the direction and magnitude of the trend.
Subgroup analyses were conducted according to sex and age, with age stratified into four brackets: 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, and ≥70 years. All age-standardized incidence rates (SIRs) were calculated using the 2019 Korean population structure as the reference to ensure comparability across years.
To visualize longitudinal changes in severe VI and the VI-to-incidence ratio, we applied cubic spline smoothing to annual incidence estimates from 2004 to 2019. The spline model facilitated graphical interpretation of gradual changes over time. Statistical analyses were performed using R (version 4.3.0, R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). Joinpoint regression analysis was conducted using Joinpoint Regression Program, Version 5.2.0, from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Unless otherwise stated, data are presented as means ± standard deviations, and all tests were two-sided, with a significance threshold of p < 0.05.
2.6. Data Availability
The outflow of all data to the outside is strictly prohibited by national security law. The raw data used in this study can be extracted upon request from any qualified investigator through the National Health Insurance System service.
2.7. Ethics Statement
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea (IRB no. 2306-006-1436). The requirement for informed consent was waived due to the use of anonymized and de-identified data. This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and complied with the STROBE reporting guidelines. Conditional access to the database was granted by the KNHIS Deliberative Committee.
3. Results
3.1. Overall Trends in Glaucoma Incidence
The age-SIR of glaucoma was 864.1 per 100,000 individuals in 2004 and remained relatively steady until 2007, reaching 805.4 per 100,000. Thereafter, the age-SIR increased steadily to a peak of 1101.1 per 100,000 in 2016 (Table 1). However, after 2016, the SIR began to decline, reaching 978.9 per 100,000 in 2019. This biphasic pattern was confirmed in joinpoint regression, which identified a statistically significant increase from 2007 to 2015 (APC: +3.92%; 95% CI: 2.90 to 8.28; p = 0.003), followed by a decline from 2015 to 2019 (APC: –3.30%; 95% CI: –7.67 to –0.61; p = 0.018) (Figure 1A; Table S1).
The SIR remained consistently higher in females than in males throughout the study period (Table 1). The female-to-male (F–M) incidence ratio ranged from 1.15 to 1.56 during the study period. Specifically, in the 40–49, 50–59, and 60–69 age groups, the mean F–M ratios were 1.53 (95% CI: 1.50 to 1.57), 1.59 (95% CI: 1.56 to 1.63), and 1.47 (95% CI: 1.44 to 1.51), respectively, all statistically significant (p < 0.001). In contrast, among those aged ≥70 years, the F–M ratio was 1.02 (95% CI: 1.00 to 1.04; p = 0.021), indicating minimal sex differences in the older population (Table 2).
Among males, the incidence remained stable from 2004 to 2007, followed by a significant increase from 2007 to 2014 (APC: +4.91%; 95% CI: 3.42 to 9.73; p = 0.020), with a subsequent plateau. In contrast, females exhibited a significant upward trend from 2004 to 2016 (APC: +2.21%; 95% CI: 1.34 to 6.06; p = 0.006), followed by a decline with borderline significance (APC: –5.49%; 95% CI: –16.12 to 0.37; p = 0.077) (Table S1; Figure 1A).
3.2. Age-Specific Trends
Joinpoint regression analysis delineated age-specific trends. In the group aged <60 years, a transient decline was observed from 2004 to 2008 (APC: –3.32%; 95% CI: –8.49 to –1.19; p = 0.005), followed by a sharp increase from 2008 to 2011 (APC: +8.13%; 95% CI: 4.59 to 10.53; p < 0.001), and a continued but slower rise thereafter (2011–2019; APC: +1.63%; 95% CI: 0.35 to 2.26; p = 0.030). Among individuals aged ≥60 years, a consistent increase in incidence was noted from 2004 to 2015 (APC: +3.27%; 95% CI: 2.02 to 5.59; p < 0.001), which was followed by a significant decline from 2015 to 2019 (APC: –7.13%; 95% CI: –17.00 to –2.13; p = 0.008) (Figure 1B,C; Table S1).
3.3. Trends in Glaucoma-Related VI
The incidence rate of severe VI due to glaucoma declined markedly from 26.23 per 100,000 person-years in 2004 to 8.76 in 2012, and remained relatively stable thereafter, reaching 12.49 per 100,000 by 2019. From 2004 to 2012, the VI-to-incidence ratio decreased substantially, dropping from 0.030 to 0.009. This ratio subsequently plateaued and was 0.013 by the end of the study period in 2019 (Table 3). Joinpoint regression revealed that the severe VI incidence rate significantly declined from 2004 to 2012 (APC: –13.1%; 95% CI: –22.04 to –3.16; p = 0.016), followed by a non-significant change from 2012 to 2019 (APC: +4.7%; 95% CI: –8.34 to 19.54; p = 0.465) (Table S2). Throughout the study duration, females consistently showed lower standardized VI rates compared with males.
Figure 2 presents the spline-smoothed trends of annual glaucoma incidence, severe VI incidence, and the corresponding VI-to-incidence ratios by gender from 2004 to 2019. A marked decline in both VI incidence and the relative risk of VI among glaucoma patients was observed until 2012, followed by a period of relative stabilization. Notably, males consistently exhibited higher rates of VI and a greater VI-to-incidence ratio compared with females throughout the study period.
4. Discussion
In this nationwide population-based analysis, we evaluated the longitudinal trends in the incidence of glaucoma and glaucoma-related severe VI in South Korea over a 16-year period. Our results demonstrated a biphasic pattern: a significant increase in glaucoma incidence between 2004 and 2015, which peaked around 2015, after which it plateaued and slightly declined. Second, and importantly, the incidence of severe VI attributable to glaucoma declined significantly until 2012, followed by a period of relative stabilization.
Our findings are consistent with previously reported trends in glaucoma incidence and offer additional insights. A previous nationwide analysis conducted between 2002 and 2013 reported that the glaucoma incidence in Korea approximately doubled (from 0.06% to 0.11% per year) over that period [4], reflecting the impact of heightened detection and an aging population. Our study builds upon this by demonstrating that the rise in incidence began to plateau around 2015. A similar plateauing trend has also been observed in a population-based study from Norway, a country with a comparably aging population [10].
Several plausible explanations can be proposed for the observed trends in glaucoma incidence. The steady rise in incidence through 2015 can be attributed to three main factors: population aging, advances in diagnostic modalities, and increased public awareness. South Korea’s population has been aging rapidly, and increased life expectancy enlarges the pool of older individuals at risk for glaucoma [4]. Concurrently, the widespread clinical adoption of OCT, from the late 2000s and the early 2010s [11], enabled earlier and more accurate detection of glaucoma that previously might have gone undiagnosed [5]. Over the past two decades, ophthalmologic societies and public health initiatives in Korea have actively promoted awareness of glaucoma, encouraging regular eye examinations and earlier referral for suspect cases [4]. Notably, the Korean Glaucoma Society (KGS) has actively participated in the annual World Glaucoma Week campaign, organized globally by the World Glaucoma Association (WGA) and the World Glaucoma Patient Association (WGPA) since 2008. This initiative has expanded in scope since 2010, with the KGS launching week-long awareness campaigns every year, which aimed at educating the public on the risks of glaucoma and the importance of regular ophthalmologic examinations for early detection of glaucoma. However, in our study, glaucoma was defined based on receipt of medical or surgical treatment, which does not include patients diagnosed with early-stage or preperimetric glaucoma who were not yet treated. It is plausible that, by around 2015, increased screening and awareness had saturated the pool of prevalent cases that would meet our treatment-based case definition. Consequently, the number of newly diagnosed and treated cases began to stabilize, leading to the observed plateau in incidence. Similar saturation-related plateaus have been observed in other chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, in high-income settings [12].
The downward trend in glaucoma-related VI observed in our study is strongly supported by previous reports. Globally, the rate of blindness attributable to glaucoma appears to be decreasing in relative terms. From 1990 to 2020, the age-standardized prevalence of blindness and vision loss due to glaucoma decreased by 5.25 per 100,000 population, representing a 27.0% reduction [6], indicating a modest improvement despite the growing number of glaucoma cases. A long-term cohort study from Minnesota, US, also reported that the 10-year incidence of blindness in patients with open-angle glaucoma declined significantly, from 8.7 to 5.5 per 100,000, between cohorts diagnosed in 1965–1980 and 1981–2000, respectively (p = 0.02) [13]. Consistent with these global and regional findings, our results show a pronounced reduction in glaucoma-related VI incidence over time. In Korea, there has been little prior research quantifying trends in glaucoma-induced visual disability at the national level, so our finding of declining glaucoma-related VI risk is a particularly encouraging indication that modern glaucoma management is yielding tangible benefits in preserving vision.
The significant decrease in glaucoma-related VI incidence reflects improvements in clinical care and therapy. Treatment for glaucoma has advanced with the introduction of more effective intraocular pressure-lowering medications and the refinement of surgical and laser interventions. Such therapeutic advances, along with improved diagnostic monitoring (e.g., widespread use of OCT and visual field testing for the early detection of progression), have benefited patients [6,14,15]. We can speculate that glaucoma progression is now being detected more readily and at earlier stages, and that patients are also receiving better treatment, resulting in fewer individuals progressing to severe vision loss.
The gender disparity in glaucoma incidence has been controversial among various population-based studies [16,17,18,19,20,21]. Our study consistently showed that females had higher glaucoma incidence throughout the 16-year period, with F–M ratios ranging from 1.15 to 1.56, regardless of age group. Interestingly, our study showed a higher predisposition to glaucoma-associated VI among males. This result is consistent with previous studies regarding VI. Zeng et al. reported that the VI burden was higher in males than in females [22]. This disparity may be due to a combination of factors, including better adherence [23], higher health literacy [24,25], and more frequent utilization of screening or follow-up examinations among females [26]. Also, female sex hormones may exert a protective effect on glaucoma. A previous study demonstrated an increase in intraocular pressure following menopause [27]. Furthermore, the initiation of hormone replacement therapy has been associated with significant intraocular pressure reduction. The neuroprotective role of female sex hormones has also been supported by animal studies, which showed that 17β estradiol prevented retinal ganglion cell loss in a rat model of acute intraocular pressure elevation [28,29].
Despite the strengths of utilizing a comprehensive nationwide dataset, this study has several limitations, particularly those inherent to using claims-based data. First, the identification of glaucoma cases relied on diagnostic codes from insurance claims, meaning that only individuals who sought medical care and received a clinical diagnosis were included. To reduce potential misclassification, we restricted our analysis to patients with both a glaucoma diagnosis code and corresponding records of glaucoma medication use or surgical procedures. Meanwhile, the strict definition of glaucoma used in this study may have excluded individuals with preperimetric or asymptomatic glaucoma who had not yet initiated medication. This could have led to an underestimation of the glaucoma incidence and warrants caution when interpreting our findings. Second, changes in healthcare-seeking behavior, diagnostic criteria, or coding practices over time may have introduced classification bias. Third, the true burden of mild or asymptomatic glaucoma may have been underestimated, as individuals without healthcare utilization would not have been captured. Fourth, the claims data lacked clinical parameters such as intraocular pressure measurements, visual field indices, or treatment adherence, limiting our ability to assess disease severity or management outcomes. In addition, the limited clinical detail in the dataset made it impossible to distinguish between glaucoma subtypes such as normal-tension glaucoma and high-tension open-angle glaucoma. Plus, the role of recent advances in glaucoma treatment, such as novel medications and surgical techniques, could not be thoroughly assessed due to the lack of clinical detail in claims data. Further studies using clinical datasets are needed to explore their impact on visual outcomes. Fifth, the study period was limited to data up to 2019 due to access restrictions of the KNHIS database at the time of analysis. As such, the impact of more recent healthcare policies or epidemiologic changes could not be captured. Future studies incorporating updated datasets will be valuable in validating and expanding upon these findings. Lastly, temporal changes in diagnostic practices or thresholds over the 16-year study period may also have influenced the observed trends.
In conclusion, our findings demonstrate a significant increase in the incidence of glaucoma in Korea between 2004 and 2015, followed by a stabilization thereafter. Notably, the incidence of glaucoma-associated VI showed a plateauing trend after 2012. This pattern reflects the combined effects of public awareness, diagnostic advances, policy changes, and therapeutic improvements. Continued surveillance and targeted screening programs will be essential to reduce glaucoma-related VI in the aging Korean population.
Supplementary Materials
The following supporting information can be downloaded at https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/jcm14165691/s1. Table S1: Joinpoint regression analysis of age-standardized glaucoma incidence rates in Korea (2004–2019); Table S2: Joinpoint regression analysis of severe VI incidence rates in Korea (2004–2019).
Author Contributions
Y.K.K. had full access to all the data in this study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. S.C.: conceptualization, data curation, methodology, investigation, funding acquisition, writing—original draft, review, and editing. C.X.: data curation and statistical analysis. J.K.: methodology, resources, and writing—review and editing. A.H.: project administration, supervision, and writing—review and editing. Y.K.K.: conceptualization, data curation, methodology, project administration, supervision, and writing—review and editing. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This work was supported by the Chungnam National University Hospital Research Fund, 2024 (2024-CF-013). The funder had no role in the initiation or design of this study, collection of samples, analysis, interpretation of the data, paper writing, or submission for publication. This study and the researchers are independent of the funder.
Institutional Review Board Statement
The Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Hospital approved the study protocol (2306-006-1436, date of approval 5 June 2023), which adhered to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki, and enabled the use of de-identified data without individual patient consent.
Informed Consent Statement
Informed consent was waived due to the retrospective analysis of anonymized data from a nationwide health insurance claims database.
Data Availability Statement
All data generated and analyzed during the current study are available at the National Health Insurance Data-Sharing Service (available online at https://nhiss.nhis.or.kr/bd/ab/bdaba000eng.do, accessed on 31 August 2024).
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Abbreviations
The following abbreviations were used in this manuscript:
| APC | Annual percent change |
| CI | Confidence interval |
| KNHIS | Korean National Health Insurance Service |
| OCT | Optical coherence tomography |
| SIR | Standardized incidence rate |
| VI | Visual impairment |
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Figure 1.
Joinpoint regression analysis of age-SIR of glaucoma (2004–2019). Trends in age-standardized incidence rates of glaucoma with identified joinpoints for (A) the total population, (B) individuals younger than 60 years, and (C) individuals aged 60 years and older. Annual percent changes (APCs) and their corresponding time intervals are indicated for each subgroup. Green indicates the total population, blue indicates males, and red indicates females. * statistically significant, p < 0.05.
Figure 1.
Joinpoint regression analysis of age-SIR of glaucoma (2004–2019). Trends in age-standardized incidence rates of glaucoma with identified joinpoints for (A) the total population, (B) individuals younger than 60 years, and (C) individuals aged 60 years and older. Annual percent changes (APCs) and their corresponding time intervals are indicated for each subgroup. Green indicates the total population, blue indicates males, and red indicates females. * statistically significant, p < 0.05.
Figure 2.
Trends in glaucoma incidence, severe VI, and their ratio by gender (2004–2019) using spline models. (A) Annual incidence rates of glaucoma (per 100,000 person-years) by gender. (B) Annual incidence rates of severe VI attributable to glaucoma by gender. (C) Annual ratio of VI to glaucoma incidence rates (VIIR) by gender. Dots indicate observed values; dotted and smoothed lines represent spline model fits. Purple indicates the total population, blue indicates males, and red indicates females.
Figure 2.
Trends in glaucoma incidence, severe VI, and their ratio by gender (2004–2019) using spline models. (A) Annual incidence rates of glaucoma (per 100,000 person-years) by gender. (B) Annual incidence rates of severe VI attributable to glaucoma by gender. (C) Annual ratio of VI to glaucoma incidence rates (VIIR) by gender. Dots indicate observed values; dotted and smoothed lines represent spline model fits. Purple indicates the total population, blue indicates males, and red indicates females.
Table 1.
Annual number of glaucoma cases and incidence rates (crude and age-standardized) by sex in Korea in 2004–2019 *.
Table 1.
Annual number of glaucoma cases and incidence rates (crude and age-standardized) by sex in Korea in 2004–2019 *.
| Number of Cases | Incidence Rate (Per 100,000 Person-Year) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | F–M Ratio | |
| Crude | 2004 | 4462 | 1860 | 2602 | 887.8 | 681.2 | 1133.8 | 1.66 |
| 2005 | 4139 | 1782 | 2357 | 837.5 | 663.6 | 1044.5 | 1.57 | |
| 2006 | 4023 | 1756 | 2267 | 825.9 | 663.5 | 1019.1 | 1.54 | |
| 2007 | 3894 | 1681 | 2213 | 811.5 | 644.9 | 1009.6 | 1.57 | |
| 2008 | 3972 | 1654 | 2318 | 838.3 | 642.8 | 1070.8 | 1.67 | |
| 2009 | 3865 | 1634 | 2231 | 831.4 | 647.2 | 1050.2 | 1.62 | |
| 2010 | 4028 | 1795 | 2233 | 881.2 | 723.4 | 1068.5 | 1.48 | |
| 2011 | 4444 | 1858 | 2586 | 990.1 | 762.6 | 1260.2 | 1.65 | |
| 2012 | 4249 | 1868 | 2381 | 962.6 | 779.4 | 1180.3 | 1.51 | |
| 2013 | 4357 | 1866 | 2491 | 1010.1 | 796.9 | 1263.2 | 1.59 | |
| 2014 | 4462 | 1904 | 2558 | 1056.5 | 830.4 | 1325.1 | 1.60 | |
| 2015 | 4449 | 1959 | 2490 | 1076.3 | 872.4 | 1318.7 | 1.51 | |
| 2016 | 4425 | 1922 | 2503 | 1092.3 | 873 | 1353.4 | 1.55 | |
| 2017 | 4034 | 1756 | 2278 | 1022.3 | 818.5 | 1265.2 | 1.55 | |
| 2018 | 4005 | 1847 | 2158 | 1039.9 | 881.6 | 1228.6 | 1.39 | |
| 2019 | 3937 | 1765 | 2172 | 1047.7 | 863.5 | 1267.3 | 1.47 | |
| Standardized | 2004 | 269,940 | 97,483 | 172,457 | 864.1 | 678 | 1059.4 | 1.56 |
| 2005 | 246,162 | 91,990 | 154,172 | 790.3 | 639.8 | 947.1 | 1.48 | |
| 2006 | 255,472 | 95,983 | 159,489 | 821.2 | 667.6 | 979.7 | 1.47 | |
| 2007 | 251,101 | 92,877 | 158,224 | 805.4 | 646 | 972 | 1.50 | |
| 2008 | 262,601 | 96,604 | 165,997 | 843.8 | 671.9 | 1019.7 | 1.52 | |
| 2009 | 264,275 | 99,947 | 164,328 | 851.6 | 695.1 | 1009.4 | 1.45 | |
| 2010 | 269,601 | 109,715 | 159,886 | 870.8 | 763.1 | 982.2 | 1.29 | |
| 2011 | 311,514 | 117,137 | 194,377 | 1002.5 | 814.7 | 1194 | 1.47 | |
| 2012 | 298,503 | 118,174 | 180,329 | 963 | 821.9 | 1107.7 | 1.35 | |
| 2013 | 314,547 | 120,792 | 193,755 | 1013.7 | 840.1 | 1190.2 | 1.42 | |
| 2014 | 329,628 | 129,081 | 200,547 | 1062.5 | 897.8 | 1231.9 | 1.37 | |
| 2015 | 329,866 | 128,251 | 201,615 | 1063.8 | 892 | 1238.5 | 1.39 | |
| 2016 | 341,539 | 136,928 | 204,612 | 1101.1 | 952.3 | 1256.9 | 1.32 | |
| 2017 | 301,859 | 120,247 | 181,612 | 972.9 | 836.3 | 1115.6 | 1.33 | |
| 2018 | 302,794 | 131,308 | 171,486 | 974.1 | 913.2 | 1053.4 | 1.15 | |
| 2019 | 304,093 | 125,915 | 178,178 | 978.9 | 875.7 | 1094.5 | 1.25 | |
* Standardized using the 2019 Korean standard population.
Table 2.
Average age-specific standardized incidence rates of glaucoma and female-to-male ratios in 2004–2019 *.
Table 2.
Average age-specific standardized incidence rates of glaucoma and female-to-male ratios in 2004–2019 *.
| Age Group, yr | Number of Cases | Incidence Rate (Per 100,000 Person-Year) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Male | Female | Total | 95% CI | Male | 95% CI | Female | 95% CI | F–M Ratio | 95% CI | p-Value | |
| 40–49 | 26,360 | 12,497 | 13,863 | 786.39 | 780.37–792.41 | 622.92 | 615.4–630.44 | 955.10 | 945.64–964.56 | 1.53 | 1.50–1.57 | <0.005 |
| 50–59 | 22,892 | 9708 | 13,184 | 1174.42 | 1167.14–1181.7 | 907.04 | 898.02–916.06 | 1444.89 | 1433.44–1456.34 | 1.59 | 1.56–1.63 | <0.005 |
| 60–69 | 15,302 | 5836 | 9466 | 1214.48 | 1205.69–1223.26 | 977.61 | 966.34–988.88 | 1441.12 | 1427.73–1454.51 | 1.47 | 1.44–1.51 | <0.005 |
| 70+ | 2191 | 866 | 1325 | 668.11 | 662.36–673.86 | 659.30 | 649.96–668.64 | 673.39 | 666.09–680.69 | 1.02 | 1.00–1.04 | 0.022 |
* Standardized using the 2019 Korean standard population.
Table 3.
Annual glaucoma incidence, severe visual impairment (VI) incidence, and VI-to-incidence ratio by sex (2004–2019).
Table 3.
Annual glaucoma incidence, severe visual impairment (VI) incidence, and VI-to-incidence ratio by sex (2004–2019).
| Glaucoma Incidence Rate (Per 100,000) | Severe VI Incidence Rate (Per 100,000) | VI-to-Incidence Ratio | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female |
| 2004 | 864.1 | 678 | 1059.4 | 26.23 | 24.47 | 27.81 | 0.030 | 0.036 | 0.026 |
| 2005 | 790.3 | 639.8 | 947.1 | 29.59 | 30.12 | 29.08 | 0.037 | 0.047 | 0.031 |
| 2006 | 821.2 | 667.6 | 979.7 | 25.39 | 25.6 | 24.32 | 0.031 | 0.038 | 0.025 |
| 2007 | 805.4 | 646 | 972 | 33.6 | 37.06 | 29.04 | 0.042 | 0.057 | 0.03 |
| 2008 | 843.8 | 671.9 | 1019.7 | 29.28 | 32.45 | 25.66 | 0.035 | 0.048 | 0.025 |
| 2009 | 851.6 | 695.1 | 1009.4 | 31.01 | 35.04 | 27.05 | 0.036 | 0.05 | 0.027 |
| 2010 | 870.7 | 763.1 | 982.2 | 9.62 | 11.27 | 7.92 | 0.011 | 0.015 | 0.008 |
| 2011 | 1002.5 | 814.7 | 1194 | 10.82 | 7 | 14.46 | 0.011 | 0.009 | 0.012 |
| 2012 | 963 | 821.9 | 1107.7 | 8.76 | 12.2 | 5.28 | 0.009 | 0.015 | 0.005 |
| 2013 | 1013.7 | 840.1 | 1190.2 | 11.53 | 9.22 | 13.5 | 0.011 | 0.011 | 0.011 |
| 2014 | 1062.5 | 897.8 | 1231.9 | 15.51 | 20.3 | 11.14 | 0.015 | 0.023 | 0.009 |
| 2015 | 1063.8 | 892 | 1238.5 | 18.27 | 30.09 | 7.99 | 0.017 | 0.034 | 0.006 |
| 2016 | 1101.1 | 952.3 | 1256.9 | 14.39 | 18.88 | 10.37 | 0.013 | 0.02 | 0.008 |
| 2017 | 972.9 | 836.3 | 1115.6 | 13.75 | 4.92 | 21.25 | 0.014 | 0.006 | 0.019 |
| 2018 | 974.1 | 913.2 | 1053.4 | 18.26 | 17.6 | 18.72 | 0.019 | 0.019 | 0.018 |
| 2019 | 978.9 | 875.7 | 1094.5 | 12.49 | 10.78 | 14.09 | 0.013 | 0.012 | 0.013 |
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MDPI and ACS Style
Choe, S.; Xi, C.; Kim, J.; Ha, A.; Kim, Y.K. Recent Changes in Trends of Nationwide Incidence of Glaucoma and Associated Visual Impairment in South Korea. J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14, 5691. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165691
AMA Style
Choe S, Xi C, Kim J, Ha A, Kim YK. Recent Changes in Trends of Nationwide Incidence of Glaucoma and Associated Visual Impairment in South Korea. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025; 14(16):5691. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165691
Chicago/Turabian StyleChoe, Sooyeon, Chen Xi, Joonhyung Kim, Ahnul Ha, and Young Kook Kim. 2025. "Recent Changes in Trends of Nationwide Incidence of Glaucoma and Associated Visual Impairment in South Korea" Journal of Clinical Medicine 14, no. 16: 5691. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165691
APA StyleChoe, S., Xi, C., Kim, J., Ha, A., & Kim, Y. K. (2025). Recent Changes in Trends of Nationwide Incidence of Glaucoma and Associated Visual Impairment in South Korea. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(16), 5691. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165691
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