It's estimated that the global cost of vision loss is over
$3 trillion per year
This includes
$175 billion in lost productivity alone
Why Vision?
Vision loss is widespread, and far too often goes untreated. The World Health Organisation’s first World Report on Vision, published in October 2019, states that globally, at least 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment or blindness, of whom at least 1 billion have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed.
Despite the successes achieved in recent years through improved eye health programmes, without action the numbers are set to rise further because of population growth, ageing, and changes in lifestyle. For example, it is projected that there will be 5 billion people with short sightedness by 2050, including hundreds of millions of children.
Eye health is an enabler of well-being and health, development, and growth. Inadequate services will hamper human development and quality of life. A failure to tackle eye health for children will reduce literacy, academic performance and increase school drop-outs.
It is estimated that for every
$1 invested
in children's eyesight, more than
$150 is returned
over the lifetime of the child
good vision
releases the potential of individuals
to learn, to work
and to lead fulfilled and
productive lives
As the Commonwealth's population increases and ages, the number of people
blind and with poor vision is set to triple by 2050
The Challenge
Vision is a universal issue. All of us, if we live long enough, will experience at least one eye condition in our lifetime.
However, the burden of eye conditions and vision impairment is not borne equally: it is often far greater in people living in rural areas, those with low incomes, women, older people, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and indigenous populations.
In April 2018 the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2018) took place in the United Kingdom to address global challenges.
At the meeting all 53 Commonwealth nations pledged their commitment to take action towards achieving access to quality eye care for all. The full communique can be read here. Progress will be reported upon every two years at future meetings.
We look forward to working with Commonwealth governments to bring vision to everyone, everywhere.
Vision and the SDGs
Vision is in many ways a golden thread running through the Sustainable Development Goals. Eye health, as part of Universal Health Coverage, can help reduce poverty, and deliver quality education, decent work and gender equality. Stronger integration of eye care within national health planning and practice, including at primary health care level, will help ensure that the eye health needs of more people are addressed, including through prevention, early detection, treatment and rehabilitation.
Cataracts
Cataracts
Cataracts are responsible for over half of all blindness globally. Cataract is the clouding of the lens of the eye, leading to blurred vision and eventual blindness. Even though cataract surgery is considered one of the most cost-effective interventions in the world, nearly 18 million people are blind because of cataracts
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults. Over half of all people with diabetes do not know they have it, and by the time their vision deteriorates it is often too late for treatment. Poor control of blood sugar levels, high blood pressure and high lipid levels in the blood damage the blood vessels in the retina. Early detection, timely treatment and appropriate follow up can reduce the risk of severe vision loss by 95%.
Refractive Error
Refractive error
Uncorrected refractive error is the leading cause of visual impairment world-wide. Refractive errors happen when the eye doesn’t refract (bend) light accurately so vision is blurred. 1.3 billion people suffer needlessly from poor vision, when many could be able to see with just a simple pair of glasses.
Onchocerciasis
Onchocerciasis
Onchocerciasis, otherwise known as River Blindness, is the second most common infectious cause of blindness in the world, after trachoma. It is a parasitic infection that can generate a strong immune response, and lead to damage to structures in the eye, causing irreversible vision loss. The parasite is spread by the bite of infected black flies that breed in fast-flowing rivers. Over 37 million people are infected with the disease - 99% of them in sub-Saharan Africa. It can be treated with medication to help stop the spread of infection.
Blinding Trachoma
Blinding Trachoma
Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness globally. It has been eliminated in nearly every high-income country in the world, yet it still remains a public health problem in 42 countries. It is caused by a bacterial infection spread from person to person or by eye-seeking flies. Repeated infection results in scar tissue forming within the eyelid, turning the eyelashes inwards so that, with every blink, they scrape the surface of the eye, which without treatment causes irreversible blindness. The disease can be avoided through environmental improvements in water and sanitation, antibiotics to treat the infection and surgery to correct in-turned eye lashes.
Retinopathy of Prematurity
Retinopathy of prematurity
Retinopathy of prematurity is a major cause of blindness in children in low- and middle-income countries. Premature babies are often given oxygen in incubators to help them survive, but over-administration of oxygen can be highly toxic to the blood vessels, including those in the retina, which can cause irreversible blindness. Early screening, detection and treatment and the careful control of oxygen in the incubator can prevent needless blindness.
Who We Are
Vision for the Commonwealth was launched by a group of six leading eye health organisations, charities and campaign groups - The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, Sightsavers, The Fred Hollows Foundation, Peek Vision, Clearly and the International Coalition for the Trachoma Control - who have joined efforts to end avoidable blindness and poor vision across the Commonwealth. Vision for the Commonwealth is currently chaired by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.
Vision for the Commonwealth is supported by the following organisations:
Connect with us
The Commonwealth can lead the world in ending avoidable blindness and poor vision.
VisionForTheCommonwealth
Eye Health in the Commonwealth: Progress Report 2018 to 2020
This first two-yearly report presents the progress achieved from 2018 to 2020 on the CHOGM commitments to action towards achieving access to quality eye care for all, including the elimination of trachoma, as an input to the next Commonwealth Health Ministers’ Meeting and CHOGM.
It makes recommendations for future action by the Commonwealth towards its goal of access to quality eye care for all: for its own citizens, and, through its continuing leadership, globally.
Its key recommendation is that the Commonwealth make a commitment to school eye health to unlock the potential of every child.