Market reference note: This article covers information from both Korea and the United States. Each piece of information is labeled 🇰🇷 Korea or 🇺🇸 U.S. in the text to indicate which country it applies to.
"Mom, haven't your eyes been feeling a bit dim lately?" Ask most parents that question, and the answer is usually, "That's just what getting old feels like." But the aging of the eyes and actual eye disease are two very different things. It is natural for vision to change gradually with age, but macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts are conditions that, if left untreated, can lead to permanent vision loss or blindness. The trouble is that all three of these diseases produce almost no noticeable symptoms in their early stages.
🇰🇷 Korea According to data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (건강보험심사평가원) and the National Health Insurance Service (국민건강보험공단), the number of patients with age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts has been growing rapidly, recording an average annual growth rate of approximately 23% in recent years, with the increase concentrated among middle-aged and older adults. In particular, over the five years from 2020 to 2024, the total number of patients with the three major blinding eye diseases — glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy — reached approximately 9.54 million, and medical costs exceeded 4.8 trillion won. Over the same period, the patient growth rate for macular degeneration alone reached 184%. 🇺🇸 U.S. The situation in the United States is equally serious. According to a study of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older, the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is 10.4% among those aged 65 and older, and the rate rises as age increases. The total number of adults in the United States living with AMD is estimated at approximately 20 million.
It is worth familiarizing yourself with the three most common age-related eye diseases. Macular degeneration is a condition in which abnormalities develop in the macula, the central part of the retina, causing vision to deteriorate; symptoms include straight lines appearing wavy and blurriness in the center of the visual field. It is divided into dry and wet forms, and wet macular degeneration can cause rapid vision loss, making early treatment especially important. Glaucoma is a condition in which the optic nerve is damaged, often due to elevated intraocular pressure, and the visual field gradually narrows from the periphery inward. Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, making vision hazy as if looking through fog; the condition progresses slowly and without pain. 🇰🇷 Korea In Korea, the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration has been reported at 11.6% among people in their 60s and 19.5% among people in their 70s.
The greatest risk is the thought, "It's probably fine." With macular degeneration and many other age-related eye diseases, changes in vision are minimal or subtle until the condition has progressed considerably. If symptoms such as floaters, blurred vision, or metamorphopsia — where straight lines appear bent — have appeared, it is possible that hemorrhage or swelling in the retina is already present. If your parents say things like "The letters look a little wobbly" or "I can't see clearly in the center," they should visit an ophthalmologist without delay for a detailed fundus examination. For anyone aged 60 or older, an annual eye examination is recommended even in the absence of symptoms.
🇰🇷 Korea In Korea, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부) and the Korea Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness (한국실명예방재단) jointly operate the Elderly Eye Examination Program (노인 안검진 사업). The program provides support for detailed fundus examinations, intraocular pressure tests, refraction tests, and more, targeting recipients of basic livelihood assistance (기초생활수급자), near-poor households (차상위 계층), and seniors deemed eligible by the head of their local public health center, who are aged 60 or older. If a diagnosis requiring surgery for cataracts, retinal disease, glaucoma, or similar conditions is made, financial support for cataract and eye surgery costs (개안수술비) may also be available. We recommend checking the program schedule and application process in advance through your local public health center (보건소) or community service center (주민센터). 🇰🇷 Korea General National Health Insurance (건강보험) enrollees may also receive full or partial support from the national government or local governments for education, early detection, and treatment costs related to age-related diseases based on their financial capacity, in accordance with Article 27-4 of the Welfare of Older Persons Act (노인복지법 제27조의4).
🇺🇸 U.S. In the United States, Original Medicare (Part B) does not generally cover routine vision correction exams or eyeglasses, but it does cover a significant portion of the diagnosis and treatment of medically necessary eye conditions. Those in high-risk groups — including people with diabetes or a family history of glaucoma — are covered for one glaucoma screening per year, and those diagnosed with macular degeneration can receive Part B benefits for examinations and anti-VEGF injection treatments as many times as medically necessary. If your parents are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, it is worth checking the details of their plan in advance, as many such plans also include coverage for routine vision exams and eyeglasses.
There are also things that can be done in daily life to protect eye health. Smoking is one of the primary risk factors for macular degeneration. Wearing UV-blocking sunglasses when going outdoors, eating dark green and yellow vegetables rich in lutein and omega-3 fatty acids, and managing blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol are all directly connected to eye health as well. Maintaining consistent lighting in the home and using a reading lamp can also help reduce eye strain. The Amsler Grid, a self-examination tool for macular degeneration, can be printed for free from the internet or used as an app. If, while covering one eye and looking at the center dot of the grid, the lines appear bent or there are any blank areas, you should visit an ophthalmologist immediately.
Sources: Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (건강보험심사평가원) (age-related eye disease statistics, 2024), National Health Insurance Service (국민건강보험공단) and Korea Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness (한국실명예방재단) (Elderly Eye Examination Program), Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부) and Easy Law (찾기쉬운생활법령정보) (Welfare of Older Persons Act Article 27-4), Medical Device Policy Research Institute (의료기기정책연구소) (eye disease prevalence data, 2024), Ophthalmic Research/PubMed (study on AMD prevalence among Medicare beneficiaries, 2025), NORC at the University of Chicago/JAMA Ophthalmology (study on AMD prevalence in the United States, 2022), Medicare.gov (Part B coverage guidance for glaucoma and macular degeneration, 2025–2026).
Note: This article was compiled by AI from the sources cited above. We strive for accuracy, but for decisions about your specific situation, please confirm the latest guidance from a professional or the relevant agency.