The economic burden of blindness and vision impairment in Slovenia
Krhlikar et al. analysed population-level reimbursement claims from Slovenia’s Health Insurance Institute for 4,153 people with blindness or moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI). The study estimated direct costs linked to eye diseases, injuries associated with vision loss, depression and anxiety, alongside indirect costs including productivity losses from sickness absence.
Key Findings:
- The study population represented 0.2% of Slovenia’s population. Most participants were aged 60 years or older (76.1%), and women comprised 61.2% of the group.
- Direct healthcare expenditure associated with blindness and MSVI totalled €5,539,173 in 2022, equivalent to €1,334 per person. Eye diseases accounted for 80.3% of this expenditure, followed by 17.1% for injuries and 2.5% for depression and anxiety.
- Outpatient care was the largest cost component, accounting for 45.1% of total direct expenditure, followed by drugs (29.5%), hospitalisations (20.4%), and assistive aids (5.0%).
- While injuries had the highest average direct healthcare expenditure per affected person (€1,368), eye diseases generated the greatest overall burden on the healthcare system, accounting for 83.8% of all outpatient visits and hospitalisations.
- Fifty people with blindness or MSVI recorded 4,088 sickness-absence days in 2022, with estimated productivity losses ranging from €298,885 to €342,192, or €5,978 to €6,844 per absentee.
Reference: Krhlikar NV, Gavrić D, Globočnik Petrovič M, et al.Economic burden of blindness and moderate to severe vision impairment in Slovenia | Health Economics Review | Springer Nature Link Health Economics Review. 2026;16:73. doi:10.1186/s13561-026-00782-4.
