World Sight Day 2020: It is observed on the second Thursday of October and this year it falls on 8 October. The day aims to spotlight global attention on vision impairment and blindness. The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness features a leadership role in preparing the annual World Sight Day across the World.
World Sight Day 2020: Theme
The theme of World Sight Day 2020 is " Hope In Sight". More than 1 billion people aren't able to see properly as they do not have access to glasses. Over 3 out of 4 of the world's vision-impaired are avoidably so. We can't ignore the fact that reduced or absent eyesight can have major and long-lasting effects on all aspects of life like daily personal activities, interacting with the community, school, etc.
Several factors are responsible for reduced eyesight such as diabetes, trachoma, trauma to the eyes, or conditions like refractive error, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, or glaucoma. The majority of individuals with vision impairment are over the age of fifty years; however, vision loss can affect people of all ages.
World Sight Day: History
Lions World Sight Day has raised awareness about the importance of eye health and therefore the need for quality eye care services for all since 1988. On this special service day, Lion club across the planet conduct sight-related projects like vision screenings, eyeglass donations, restorative surgeries, eye health education schemes, and therefore the donation of assistive devices to those with vision impairment. Traditionally, Lions World Sight Day is held within the month of October.
Originally, World Sight Day was initiated by the SightFirstCampaign of Lions Club International Foundation in 2000. The day is coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) under the VISION 2020 Global Initiative.
About International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)
In 1975, The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) was established as a coordinating, umbrella organisation to steer international efforts in blindness prevention activities.
Its first major achievement was to enhance the establishment of a World Health Organisation (WHO) Program for Prevention of Blindness. In the global initiative, it is now embodied namely VISION 2020: The Right to Sight.
Members of IAPB are directly involved in the delivery of eye care services across the world focussing on building capacity, including human resource development, in low-income countries.
Source: who, iapb.org
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