To mark Israel’s National Awareness Day with the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Central Bureau of Statistics conducted a survey to monitor the current situation. It found that 5.6% of those over the age of 65 are blind or suffer from great difficulty seeing 

Among those up to the age of 65 who have visual impairment, only 33% are employed, compared with 76% of those who do not have visual impairment at these ages. People with visual impairment also have more difficulty covering their monthly expenses: 49% are barely able or unable to cover their expenses at all. This is compared to 25% of those who do not have difficulty seeing. 

Between ages 20 to 64 among people with difficulty seeing, the rate of those who have trouble making ends meet is 62%, compared with 27% of those who have proper vision. Those with visual impairment assess their own health status more negatively: 76% rate their health condition as not good, compared with 14% of those who do not have vision problems. Among those aged 65 and over, 86% of those with visual impairment negatively assess their state of health, compared with 37% of those who do not have visual impairment. 

Almost half of visually impaired people suffer from loneliness sometimes or often. Among those aged 65 and over, 59% of those with visual impairment feel lonely, compared with 25% of those who have no vision impairment. Only 18% of those with visual impairment are very satisfied with their lives, compared with 41% of those without such disability. 

The Central Bureau of Statistics has conducted a social survey every year since 2002. It provides information on the living conditions of the Israeli population relating to housing, vehicles, health, education, Internet use, employment, vacations, contact with family and friends, volunteer activities, economic status, satisfaction and trust. In 2021, the survey covered transportation, road safety, language use and quality of life indicators. Over 7,500 people over the age of 20 – a representative e sample covering 7.5 million Israelis – were surveyed.