World Sight Day takes place Thursday, October 10th. It is a global event that focuses on raising awareness about blindness and vision impairment as well as rehabilitation for those living with visual impairments. This event happens every year on the second Thursday in October.
It is estimated that about 80% of blindness is preventable. 9 out of 10 people who are blind live in developing countries around the world. Some of the key messages World Sight Day promotes each year are:
- Approximately 285 million people across the globe live with low vision or blindness.
- Of this estimated number, 39 million people are blind and 246 million live with moderate to severe visual impairment.
- An estimated 19 million children around the world are visually impaired.
- Restoration of sight and blindness prevention programs are among the most cost-effective interventions in health care.
- The number of people who are blind due to infectious causes has seen significant decrease in the past twenty years.
- Growing elderly populations in many countries around the world means that more people will be at risk for age-related vision problems.
- About 65% of all individuals who are visually impaired are 50 and older.