Vision, Hearing, Balance, and Sensory Impairment in Americans Aged 70 Years and Over: United States, 1999–2006

Sensory impairments such as problems with vision, hearing, postural balance, or loss of feeling in the feet, are known to increase with age. The prevalence of sensory impairments will increase as U.S. life expectancy increases. Important public health goals for older adults include maintaining independent living, health, and quality of life (1). Minimizing the impact of sensory impairments is therefore important. This report provides updated examination-based estimates for sensory impairments: overall and for specific subgroups of older Americans.