World Sight Day is annually observed across the globe on the 2nd Thursday of October to create awareness on the global issue of eye health. The day also aims to focus the attention of vision impairment including blindness.
World Sight Day is coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).
World Sight Day 2021 was observed on 14th October 2021.
- World Sight Day 2020 was observed on 8th October 2020.
- World Sight Day 2022 will be observed on 13th October 2022.
The theme of World Sight Day 2021 is “Love Your Eyes”.
Background:
i.World Sight Day was initiated by the SightFirstCampaign of the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF).
ii.In 2000, the World Sight Day became an official event of IAPB.
iii.The first ever World Sight Day was celebrated on 8 October, 1998.
Efforts of WHO:
i.The members of the World Health Organisation (WHO) adopted 2 global targets for eye care by 2030 at the 74th World Health Assembly,
- 40% increase in effective coverage of refractive errors.
- 30% increase in effective coverage of cataract surgery.
ii.IAPB and WHO jointly established a global program ‘VISION 2020: The Right to Sight (V2020)’ in 1999 with a goal to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020.
UNGA Resolution on vision:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution “Vision for Everyone – Accelerating Action to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals” on 23rd July 2021.
ii.This is the first agreement designed to tackle preventable sight loss to be adopted at the United Nations(UN) and includes eye health as part of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).
Key Points:
i.According to the WHO’s first World Report on vision(2019), around 2.2 billion people across the globe have vision impairment or blindness, of which around 1 billion people have near or distance vision impairment, which could be prevented or yet to be addressed.
ii.Vision impairment has major and long-lasting effects on various aspects of life, including daily activities, community interaction, school and work opportunities, and the ability to access public service.
About International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB):
CEO– Peter Holland
Headquarters– London, United Kingdom
Established on January 1, 1975
