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Section 2: Partially Sighted Persons

There were an estimated 15,035 registered partially sighted persons in 2007. This is slightly down on last year (3.4%).

The number of people registered as partially sighted has been steadily rising over the last 9 years to 2006 with a slight dip in numbers in 2007.

The number of new cases registered during the year was 1,845. This is down 5.5 per cent on the previous year. The number of people registered partially sighted per 1,000 population is 2.9 for this year. This has remained at around the same level since 2003. (see Table 2a).

Table 2a: Number of Registered Partially Sighted Persons and New Registrations during the years 1998-2007

¹ Care should be taken when commenting on trends as the fall in numbers since 2000 is explained in part by improvements in reporting procedures by some local authorities.
Source: Registration of Blind and Partially Sighted Persons Return Form SWB

Data on registered partially sighted individuals shows a similar picture to that of registered blind individuals. Approximately 76 per cent of registered partially sighted persons are over the age of 65, with approximately two-thirds (64%) being aged 75 or over. There are significantly more women registered as partially sighted (63 per cent) than men (37 per cent). Again, just under half (45%) of all registered partially sighted people are women aged 75 and over (see table 2b).

This large proportion of partially sighted women aged 75 or over is also mirrored in the new registrations where 46 per cent of the new registered cases are women aged 75 and over. Excluding the '75 and over' age group there is a much more even split between the sexes (see Table 2b & Chart 2b).

Table 2b: Number of Registered Partially Sighted Persons and New Registrations by Age and Gender, 2007

Souce: Registration of Blind and Partially Sighted Persons Return Form SWB

Chart 2b: Percentage of Registered Partially Sighted Persons and New Registrations by Age and Gender, 2007

The number of people registered partially sighted per 1,000 population is 2.9 for the whole of Scotland. This varies from 1.1 in Orkney to 4.6 in Glasgow City. A more detailed breakdown showing the rate per 1,000 population by age and sex for each Local Authority is available in Annex A on page 9.

An estimated 4,206 (28 per cent) of all registered partially sighted persons have additional disabilities, almost three-quarters (73%) of which are aged 65 and over. Physical disabilities account for over half (52 per cent) and nearly a quarter (23 per cent) are deaf (see Table 2c).

Table 2c: Number of Registered Partially Sighted Persons with Additional Disabilities by Age, 2007

Source: Registration of Blind and Partially Sighted Persons Return Form SWB

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