World Sight Day
World Sight Day was founded in 1998 by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). The inaugural event was held on October 8, 1998, and focused on the theme "Vision 2020: The Right to Sight."
Vision 2020 was a global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness by the year 2020. While the initiative did not achieve all of its goals, it did help to raise awareness of the importance of eye care and led to significant progress in reducing blindness rates worldwide. The purpose of World Sight Day is to raise awareness of the importance of eye care and to advocate for access to quality eye services for everyone.
It is typically held on the second Thursday of October each year. This global event is organized to draw attention to issues related to eye health, promote vision care, and advocate for better access to eye care services, especially in underserved communities.
The theme for World Sight Day changes each year. The theme for 2023 is "Love Your Eyes." This theme aims to raise awareness of the importance of protecting and caring for our eyes, and to encourage people to get regular eye exams.
World Sight Day Activities 2023
- Learn more about eye health and vision impairment.
- Talk to your friends and family about the importance of eye care.
- Donate to an organization that supports eye care programs in developing countries.
- Volunteer your time to an organization that provides eye care services to people in your community.
- Get a regular eye exam.
Many international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), collaborate to make World Sight Day a successful global event. World Sight Day is not limited to a specific country or region but is observed worldwide. It serves as a platform for international collaboration and action on eye health issues.
World Sight Day focuses on a variety of eye health issues, including:
- Refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism)
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Childhood blindness
- Vision impairment in developing countries
80% of all visual impairment is preventable or treatable. Common preventable causes of blindness include:
- Uncorrected refractive errors
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma
- Onchocerciasis (river blindness)
- Trachoma
World Sight Day Impact and Statistics
World Sight Day has had a significant impact on raising awareness of eye health and vision impairment. The event has also helped to promote access to quality eye services for millions of people around the world.
Here are some statistics about blindness and vision impairment in the world:
- Globally, 1.1 billion people have an untreated or preventable visual impairment.
- 80% of all visual impairment is preventable or treatable.
- Blindness and visual impairment are more common in developing countries, where access to eye care is often limited.
- Every 5 seconds, one person goes blind.
By getting involved in World Sight Day, you can help to make a difference in the lives of millions of people around the world.
For more information visit https://www.iapb.org/world-sight-day/
