According to WHO, there are approximately 180 million people worldwide with some type of visual impairment, 40 and 45 million of them are totally blind.

It is estimated that these numbers will double by next year in such a way that blindness in the world as well as the right to have good visual health will become a human right.

In 2023, the date – set in conjunction with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) – focuses on developing the slogan: “Love your eyes at work”.

The most recent studies show that 80% of all cases of blindness could have been prevented and even completely cured. 20% of them could be avoided, while another 60% percent might be treated or even received a surgical intervention providing patient with a better quality of life and even restore this sense completely.

Among most common surgeries that are usually done for visual health are cataract surgery, trachoma prevention, distribution of ivermectin to treat onchocerciasis, immunization against measles.

Also, the distribution of vitamin A supplements to prevent blindness in children and corrective lenses.

In 1999, the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, and other UN organizations, implemented the Vision 2020 program that seeks to eliminate all possible cases of avoidable blindness by 2020 and to ensure that no one in the world is blinded by a condition that can be cured, operated on or even corrected.

There are 40 countries around the globe that have approved this program and seek to improve the quality of life of millions of women, children and men who suffer from visual impairment.

WHO statistics show that most of blind people worldwide come from a developing country and nearly all belong to the lowest strata of society.

Nine million blind people live in India, seven million in Africa and six million in China.

In the same way, the numbers show that apart from poverty, another determining factor is gender, since the majority of blind people are women.

The third factor is age, as the number of children who go blind because they are not given the necessary care or vaccinated in time to prevent vision loss is increasing.

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