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The impact of Vision 2020 on global blindness
1International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. allenfoster@compuserve.com
Eye (London, England)
|November 24, 2005
Summary
Global blindness affects 37 million people, with major causes including cataract, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. While initiatives reduce some vision loss, further action is needed for these key conditions.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
Background:
- Globally, 37 million individuals experience blindness and 124 million have low vision, excluding uncorrected refractive errors.
- Leading causes of global vision impairment include cataracts, glaucoma, corneal scarring, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the current global landscape of blindness and low vision.
- To assess the impact of global initiatives on avoidable blindness.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent global data on visual impairment.
- Analysis of major causes of blindness worldwide.
Main Results:
- Cataract, glaucoma, corneal scarring, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy are primary causes of blindness.
- Vision 2020 initiatives show promise in reducing blindness from ocular infections.
Conclusions:
- Global efforts are impacting avoidable blindness, particularly from infections.
- Continued and enhanced interventions are crucial for addressing cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy to further reduce global vision impairment.