Blindness decreasing worldwide

Issue: BCMJ, vol. 53, No. 4, May 2011, Page 195 News

The number of people around the world who suffer from blindness is decreasing, according to new figures released by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to new WHO estimates, 39 million people are blind, down from 45 million in 2000, and 246 million have significant visual impairment, down from 314 million in 2000.

Historically the number of blind people worldwide has always increas­ed along with the world’s population, particularly its population over age 50. 
Seva Canada Society, a non-profit organization founded in 1982 to eliminate preventable blindness and restore sight, participates in Vision 2020, a global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness. 

In the past year Seva’s partners have performed over 500000 eye surgeries and screened over 3 million people in some of the poorest regions on Earth.

Vision 2020 is a joint program of WHO and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness with an international membership of NGOs, professional associations, eye-care institutions, and corporations. 

Seva and other members of the Vision 2020 initiative are working to provide care to the approximately 80% of visually impaired people worldwide who could potentially be cured, treated, or have their blindness prevented.

For more information visit www.seva.ca or www.vision2020.org.

. Blindness decreasing worldwide. BCMJ, Vol. 53, No. 4, May, 2011, Page(s) 195 - News.


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