World Sight Day - 14 October 2021.

World Sight Day is an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October, to focus global attention on vision impairment, including blindness. This year, World Sight Day will take place on October 14, 2021 

The day is both a call to action and a drive for awareness concerning vision care around the globe. Prevention of disease helps to reduce blindness and vision impairment. Beyond prevention, World Sight Day seeks to improve recognition and access to care for those who need services.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 285 million people of all ages are visually impaired. Causes of visual impairment include uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts. Sadly, 80% of all visual impairments are preventable. People with visual impairments who are poor simply lack the funds to access a pair of eyeglasses. Many others cannot afford cataract surgery, or there is no one in their community to

perform the procedure.

Of those with visual impairments, 39 million are blind. Some of the most common causes of blindness include:

• Eye complications of diabetes
• Macular degeneration
• Glaucoma
• Traumatic injuries

In underdeveloped countries, infectious diseases are a primary cause of blindness. These diseases included herpes, trachoma, and leprosy. Vitamin A deficiencies also cause blindness. Retinopathy that develops in premature babies can also become blind.

The Sight First Campaign of Lions Club International Foundation initiated the first World Sight Day in 2000. The day eventually integrated into VISION 2020 and is coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. Beginning in 2005, a yearly call to action brought focus to specific needs for the visually impaired. 

2021 World Sight Day Theme: Love Your Eyes.

Source: https://www.who.int.

Share: