World Sight Day (WSD): Global Attention on Blindness & Vision Impairment

Experts say that WSD marks a huge achievement for eye health. The IAPB (International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness) recognizes that this gathering aims to make eye care a fundamental component of universal healthcare. Vision impairment and blindness affect many populations around the world. If you want to know how WSD can help sight become accessible to everyone, here’s what you should know.
 

The Enduring Problems in Eye Health

Statistics show that billions of people suffer from vision impairment and blindness. Absent or decreased eyesight can have lasting and huge consequences. It can affect your work, daily activities, or access to various services. Factors like trauma, serious eye conditions, and diabetes can cause vision impairment. Statistics show that most patients with eye and vision issues are those above 50 years old. It also does not help that vision loss and reduction affect countries with low or middle-range income.
 

Facts From IAPD

According to the IAPD, here are some of the established facts about eye and vision health:

• About 90 percent of people with vision loss live in low-income to poverty-stricken areas.

• Nearly 285 million people suffer from blindness or reduced vision.

• An estimate of 19 million children has a vision impairment.

• Blindness prevention and sight restorations are affordable healthcare interventions.

• Cases of age-related visual impairment increase as elderly populations increase as well.

• Almost 80 percent of visual impairment is preventable and treatable.

The Focus

Everybody should be aware that vision impairment and blindness are international health issues. On the second Thursday of October each year, leaders hold WSD to bring the focus of the world toward blindness and vision impairment. This day always advocates more attention to eye care. The IAPB spearheads the preparation and conduction of WSD. Its goals include educating about preventing vision loss and maintaining good optic health.
 

With WSD, the organization also aims to persuade governments to take part in programs for blindness prevention. In just one gathering, people can work with one another to eradicate eye and vision problems. The IAPB wants to coordinate with public and private organizations. That way, it can attract global attention to eye health and vision issues.
 

The Key Activities for Vision Impairment and Blindness

The WHO (World Health Organization) performs work under the guidance of Universal Eye Health. It has already established and carried out techniques for assessing the process of providing eye care services:
 

• Eye care interventions. They include workforce competencies and global monitoring of eye care progress.

• World report on vision. It offers recommendations that concentrate on giving integrated and extensive eye care in countries that need it.
   

World Sight Day aims to enlighten people about the importance of eye and vision health. At Perceptions Eye Health & Wellness, we are aware that optic health is essential in achieving a good quality of life. Please visit our clinic in Southport, North Carolina, for an in-person consultation. You can also call us at 910-400-1215. That way, we can help you schedule an appointment or answer your questions about our routine eye and vision care packages.