Functional Limitations

Vision Problems and Blindness

What to know

The Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System (VEHSS) reports the prevalence of visual function limitations based on self-reported difficulty with activities of daily living that the respondent believes are due to difficulty seeing.

elderly person with looks at document with magnifying glass

National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) questions

The NHIS adult (ages 18+) module includes six questions that begin with:

“Even when wearing glasses or contact lenses, because of your eyesight, how difficult is it for you to…” followed by six activities.

Description Question Text NHIS Variable Names Response Options
Even when wearing glasses or contact lenses, because of your eyesight, how difficult is it for you… find something on a crowded shelf? CRD, AVDFCRD, AVDF_CRD -Not at all difficult
-Only a little difficult
-Somewhat difficult
-Very difficult
-Can’t do at all because of eyesight
-Do not do this activity for other reasons
-Refused
-Not ascertained
-Don’t know
drive during daytime in familiar places? DRV,
AVDFDRV,
AVDF_DRV
read ordinary print in newspapers? NWS, AVDF_NWS
do work or hobbies that require you to see well up close such as cooking, sewing, fixing things around the house, or using hand tools? AVDF_CLS
go down steps, stairs, or curbs in dim light or at night? AVDF_NIT
notice objects off to the side while you are walking along AVDF_PER

Explore data in VEHSS application‎

The data source available for this category is National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) – Adult module.