OBJECTIVES: To estimate the annual loss of productivity in 2014 from blindness and moderate/ severe visual impairment (MSVI) in a population >50 years of age in the European Union (EU). METHODS: Cost of lost productivity was estimated by using three models based on: minimum wage (MW), gross national income (GNI), and purchasing power parity-adjusted gross national product (GDP-PPP) losses. In the first two models, assumptions made included; that all individuals worked until 65 years of age, and the half of all visual impairment cases in the >50 age group would be between 50 and 65 years of age. Loss of productivity was estimated to be 100% for the blind people and 30% for those with MSVI. In GDP-PPP method, the loss of productivity were assumed to be 70% for blind people, and 34.5% for MSVI, of which 10% was for the lost productivity of their carers. The GDP losses were adjusted by using age and country-specific employment and labor force participation (LFP) rates. None of these models included direct medical costs as a consequence of visual impairment. RESULTS: The number of blind people in the EU population +50 is estimated to be 1.28 million, with a further 9.99 million people living with MSVI. The cost of blindness was estimated to be 7.81, 6.29 and 17.29 billion euros based on MW, adjusted GDP-PPP and GNI methods respectively. MSVI is estimated to cost 18.02, 24.80 and 39.23 billion euros, and the total cost of visual impairment 25.83, 31.09 and 56.52 respectively. The estimates from MW and adjusted GDP-PPP were generally comparable, whereas GNI model generated higher estimates, probably due to lack of adjustment for unemployment and LFP. CONCLUSIONS: The cost of blindness and MSVI in EU is substantial. Wider use of available cost-effective treatment and prevention strategies may reduce the burden significantly.