World sight day is an annually marked international event to raise awareness about the prevention of blindness and vision impairment.
This global event takes place every 2nd Thursday of October.
It draws global attention towards the eye health-related issues as an integral part of the international public health issues.
The day is observed in the leadership of the international agency for the prevention of blindness which plans out all the aspects of marking the day successfully.
Preview
Eye Health and Eye Care
Let's observe this World Sight Day by gearing up ourselves for good eye health. Let's celebrate it with having the basic information about our eye-care-related issues!
Possible Factors behind Poor Eye-health and Eyesight
- The encounter of eyes with any kind of trauma
- Diseases like trachoma and diabetes
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Health-related conditions such as glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Refractive errors
Major Causes behind Preventable Blindness
Refractive errors that are not corrected. For example:
- Farsightedness
- Nearsightedness
- Astigmatism
- Cataracts that are not operated. In this, the clouding of the lenses of the eyes is not corrected through the surgery.
- Glaucoma — the destruction of the optic nerve that transports the visual information from our eyes to the brain.
Preventive Steps to Avoid Blindness and Preserve the Sight
- Get regular eye check-ups and eye care
- For avoiding blindness and the preservation of the slight the following aspects are to be considered to ensure a successful treatment:
- Early and accurate diagnosis
- Prompt treatment
- Take regular help of a medical professional or Eye Care expert for the comprehensive examination of the eyes. It can help in detecting many sight robbing diseases
- Be aware of your family history in case of vision problems. Many of such transgression vision issues that come from the family are mostly preventable
- Do not avoid your regular exercising schedule and have a nutritious diet. This helps in managing blood sugar levels and decreases the risk of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Regular exercise or workout main also decreases the probability of drink blood pressure and can significantly prevent glaucoma.
- Glaucoma eye drops help in reducing the high pressure in the inside area of eyeballs and prevent that high pressure from turning into an issue such as glaucoma. Insulin controls the blood sugar level and decreases the probability of blood vessel damages inside the eyes. the medications taken for curing the blood pressure can drastically aid in preventing hypertension retinopathy. It is a condition in which the light-sensitive tissues, that exist in the back area of the eyes, get damages because of high blood pressure.
- Quit smoking and excessive use of alcohol. The reduced smoking and alcohol intake can decrease the risk of eye problems such as cataracts.
- Do not forget to wear the eye-protection, especially when you are going out of the home in scorching sunlight or getting exposed to a polluted environment.
- Take into consideration that eye injuries are also one of the prime and major causes of blindness.
- If you have got any kind of medical history or current issue related to your vision, do go for medical help and do take all the prescribed medications.
Date World Sight Day Observance
It is celebrated on the second Thursday of every October.
History of World Sight Day
In 2000, the Lions Club International Foundation had initiated such a cause by organizing the SightFirstCampaign.
Since then it emerged as an integrated part of the vision 2020. It is organized by IAPB and supported by the corporation of the World Health Organisation.
The first world sight day event was observed on 12 October 2000.
World Sight Day Celebration
Preparations and Celebrations
Every year, organizers design new plans and material packs to give people an overview on:
- What the world sight day is all about
- What is the key message behind this event
- What are the media guidelines?
All the supporting organizations and the members of IAPB are encouraged Tu to access, process, and promote the informative material among the nearby people.
The day is observed by organizing the national blindness prevention programs, workshops, seminars, and other such informative events.
How the Day is Celebrated: The Journey from Preparation to Execution
WHO plays a vital role in guiding global health. Universal eye health is no exception. A global Action Plan is being developed and implemented followed by a resolution agreed and taken in the World Health Assembly.
Being one accord with the process briefed above, WHO introduced:
- Tools for the assessment of the Eye Care Services
- Diabetes assessment tool
- The diabetic retinopathy assessment tool
- Rehabilitation services assessment tool
- Eye care service system assessment tool
A world report on besan is prepared to analyze and implement new strategies and programs. The report offers suggestions and recommendations on the areas to focus on. It is ensured that the countries get an integrated and comprehensive eye care model. It aims at:
- Targeting the global agenda on vision
- Reducing the burden of the diseases and issues of vision and eyes
- Improvement in people's lives with vision impairment
- Getting success in achieving sustainable development goals at a global level
- Promoting the eye care and eye health policies
- Supporting the research on all the systems
Where IAPB takes responsibility for generating the themes and the informative promotion material for the world sight day each year, along with it, the supportive agencies, organizations and their members help in managing the individual events.
The whole vision 2020 Global initiative and the world sight day observations can be seen as a collaborative effort of the World Health Organisation (WHO), non-governmental, governmental, international, and private organizations. They all come together to eliminate avoidable blindness, especially when we have the availability of adequate resources.
The whole drive also puts a massive effect on the reduction of negative effects of vision loss and blindness. Such effects include:
- Limited social and economic development
- Affected quality of life
Why is World Sight Day Celebrated?
It is observed to decrease the rate of visionary issues around the world.
It focuses on educating the target audiences and general masses on preventing blindness and changes or damages in the vision.
The authorities and officials in a respective position take resolutions for I help and target the Global Eye Health Milestones.
Significance of World Sight Day
- World sight day comes as an opportunity to raise mass awareness about blindness and vision impairment-related issues.
- It encourages governments leaders and ministers of the health departments to participate in the cause and designate the funds to draw the attention of the public on visionary health and blindness prevention.
- The political commitments are being taken into action to focus on the drive of eye health and eye care. It is considered under universal health coverage. The plans of integrated people-centered eye care actions are implemented and executed.
Facts and Figures
- About 2.2 billion people are facing cases of vision impairment around the world.
- About 1 billion of the above can be prevented but are yet to be addressed.
- The number of people who cannot see is more than a billion.
- In most cases, no access to glasses is the primary cause of:
- Visionary impairment
- Partial or full blindness
- The worldwide data suggests that over three out of four people who are facing visionary issues are ignorant about it.
Preventive Blindness
- There are about 36 million cases of blindness across the globe. Four out of five cases are of avoidable or preventable blindness. This gives a clear inside that about 80% of these people should not have lost their sights and called the blinds.
- About 200 17 million people belong to the MSVI, that is, moderate-to-severe vision impairment cases. These are those cases in which a person cannot be called completely blind and faces the challenge of having a limited vision.
- About 43% of the worldwide preventable blindness cases belong to uncorrected refractive errors.
- Unoperated cataracts are responsible for approximately 33% of blindness cases that are avoidable.
- Glaucoma causes about 2% of blindness cases that are needless.
- There are about 85 million people who are suffering from the condition diabetes and approximately one-third of these cases belong to diabetic retinopathy. Another third portion of this group manifests the signs and symptoms of vision-robbing diseases.
Location
About 90% of blindness for visually impaired cases come from impoverished countries.
Advanced Age
Approximately 65% of visually impaired people are aged 50 or older.
Young Age
In the present scenario, young-aged children are nowhere behind in facing visual impairment and blindness. About 19 million children come into this category. Approximately 10 million of these cases are the result of errors in diagnosis or treatment. Approximately 1.4 million children belong to the group of lifelong vision loss which is Irreversible.
SightFirst
SightFirst has contributed to the restored or improved vision of about 30 million people and brought a great change in this life.
Themes
The day is marked following a pre-planned and pre-announced theme that addresses the current issue and the need. Going along with the theme, people advocate for the need for more attention towards eye-related issues.
The World Sight Day 2014, which was held on 9 October 2014, banged with the theme of "No More Avoidable Blindness".
World Sight Day Challenges
We, as one human community, have many considerable challenges to face and stand against. Some of the greater challenges are:
- Inequality in coverages
- Qualitative prevention, treatment options, and rehabilitation services
- Shortage of eye care service providing trainers
- Gaps in proper integration of health systems' eye care services and other systems
An Appeal
The government is not built up without the participation or contribution of the general mass. In the same way, government programs can also not taste success without the support and efforts of the general public.
It is a great challenge to address when it comes to Breaking the unconsciousness of people about their own health. We all need to work collectively to break this arrest of ignorance.
A Call for the Officials of Institutions and Organisations
Let's arm ourselves with taking information about the:
- Prevalence data of the nation
- Eye health system
- Number of eye health personnel who are trained
- National vision, mission, plans, and programs to tackle cases of blindness around the country.
Let's analyze and reason that which are those areas and concerns where we can contribute to our available resources and human power. Let's help the higher authorities and government officials to help ourselves and our society.
A Call to Individual
Even if a single individual can take care of his or her eye health, along with the eye care of the family members, this little step can give great results.
A Call to All
Let's find the solutions and come ahead collectively to ensure the:
- Eye-health of everyone
- Access to sight everywhere.
Let's pull up our sleeves to decrease the number of blind and visually impaired people around the world.
With the worldwide Corporation from the Non-governmental agencies, Eye Care professionals, health administrators, and individuals, we can surely make a change in the numbers of preventable blindness. Let's join hands today for eye care and eye health promotion so that we can be together to celebrate our success in preventing many eyes from meeting eye-related issues and blindness.
