OBJECTIVES: To conduct a systematic literature review to collate the published evidence on the burden (economic and humanistic) of presbyopia.

METHODS: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched from the inception dates up to February 2018. Studies published in the English language reporting the humanistic and economic burden in presbyopic patients were included.

RESULTS: We identified 29 published studies that met the inclusion criteria (22- humanistic burden; 7-economic burden). Published population based surveys and reviews report that uncorrected presbyopia when coexisting with far-sight refractive errors is associated with noticeable reduction in patients’ vision related quality of life (comorbidity adjusted utility of 0.62 in severe to 0.70 in moderate patients). Based on findings from a review study of multiple population based surveys, globally around 80% of the patients with uncorrected presbyopia reported functional visual impairment and reduction in vision related quality of life due to difficulty in performing near vision related tasks such as ability to read, write, threading needles, and usage of mobile devices. They also estimated that in 2005, globally, around 410 million people had functional presbyopia and report experiencing disability. Global loss of productivity from uncorrected and under-corrected presbyopia among people aged <50 years was estimated to be US $11 billion (0.016% of global GDP) in 2011 which increased up to US$ 25.4 billion if people aged <65 years were assumed to be productive.

CONCLUSIONS: Uncorrected presbyopia could significantly affect patients’ vision related quality of life with difficulty in performing near vision related tasks in the majority of patients. In addition, un-/under-corrected presbyopia could lead to productivity loss in working age adults. Further studies are required to estimate the burden of post-operative presbyopia in cataract patients.