It is a much-quoted figure, but it nevertheless remains an alarming one – More than one billion people with vision impairment worldwide lack access to eye care. An ageing population and changing lifestyles mean that this figure will stand at 1.8 billion by 2050, according to the forecast of the World Health Organization and The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health. The biggest threat is refractive error, which leads to blurred vision and, if severe and not corrected, may lead to blindness.
This development must be stopped.
That is why the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), the Alliance for Global Eye Health, has developed a new strategy: 2030 In Sight. CBM supports this strategy for better vision worldwide.
Dr. Babar Qureshi, Director of the Inclusive Eye Health Initiative at CBM, is the Vice President of the IAPB and also its Supervisory Board Chairman. He has been actively involved in the joint development of the strategy and appeals for action now.
"It is time to ensure that everyone gets the eye care they need and deserve, no matter where they are in the world. A billion people cannot see well just because they don't have access to ophthalmic care. That's a billion reasons to do something very quickly. We need to invest now and take action so that no one has unnecessary eye problems by 2030."
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