World Sight Day

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The world's population is ageing and people are living longer but blindness from chronic conditions is also rising, according to WHO. About 80 percent of the world's 45 million blind people are aged over 50 years. About 90 percent of blind people live in low-income countries, where older people, especially older women, face barriers to getting the necessary eye health care. Yet, many age-related conditions leading to blindness such as cataract, refractive error and glaucoma. These can be easily and cheaply treated or cured. Timely intervention can often delay or reduce their effects on vision. World Sight Day is a global event that focuses on bringing attention on blindness and vision impairment. It is observed on the second Thursday of October each year.

History - Lions Clubs International partnered with blindness prevention organizations worldwide to commemorate the first World Sight Day on October 8, 1998. This event was later integrated into VISION 2020, a global initiative that the IAPB (International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness) coordinates. This initiative is a joint program between WHO and the IAPB. International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness is a coordinating, umbrella organization to lead an international effort in mobilizing resources for blindness prevention activities. It was set up on January 1, 1975, by the late Sir John Wilson, the Founder President. The founding members were the World Blind Union, and the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (now the International Council of Ophthalmology). It involves non-government organizations and professional associations as well as eye care institutions and corporations.

Events - The World Health Organization (WHO), which is the UN’s directing and coordinating authority for health, and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) are actively involved in coordinating events and activities for World Sight Day. Associations such as Lions Clubs International have also been actively involved in promoting the day on an annual basis for many years.

Many communities, associations, and non-government organizations work together with WHO and IAPB to promote the day for the following purposes:

• To raise public awareness of blindness and vision impairment as major international public health issues.

• To influence governments, particularly health ministers, to participate in and designate funds for national blindness prevention programs.

• To educate target audiences about blindness prevention, about VISION 2020 and its activities, and to generate support for VISION 2020 program activities.

• Some people plant trees to commemorate World Sight Day and while others submit a photo for an international photo montage that focuses on the theme of blindness. Other activities include taking part in awareness-raising walks or distributing and displaying posters, bookmarks, booklets and other forms of information the raise awareness about preventable blindness.

Holiday Status - It is not a public holiday.