This month, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) launched its Love Your Eyes global campaign. The goal of this year’s campaign is to raise awareness of the social and economic impacts of blindness across the world.
Children across the globe continue to suffer from vision loss, which could be prevented or treated. The number of children and infants is growing exponentially. It is estimated that by 2050 many more children will remain undiagnosed and untreated.
The World Health Organization states that around 2.2 billion people worldwide suffer from some type of visual impairment. Nearly 100 million of those people have vision loss or blindness due to cataracts. 90% of all blindness occurs in developing nations, where in some cases cataract accounts for more than half of blindness.
Tackling blindness is part of the UN initiative that aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Charitable initiatives, such as the Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation, that improve eye health amongst children grant greater opportunities for employment and health in adulthood.
One of the core senses that inform us of our surroundings is sight. Without it, daily tasks can be near impossible and sadly can result in the sufferer falling into poverty, in some cases extreme poverty. The Tej Kohli and Ruit Foundation understands the importance of eye health as well as the detrimental effects it can have on individuals and their families if it declines.
Historically, females have experienced their fair share of inequality. Campaigning, research and awareness have meant times are changing, but when it comes to eye health, a male in rural South Asia is 46% more likely to receive cataract surgery than a female.
