Avoidable blindness

A staggering 90% of all vision loss is treatable or preventable. That equates to 1 billion people on this planet, living with vision loss from avoidable causes. Nine out of ten people with vision loss live in low- and middle-income countries, and 55% are women and girls. The vast majority of people only need a small intervention, like a pair of reading glasses, to correct their vision.

Out of this 1 billion, there are 43 million people who are blind and a further 295 million living with moderate-to-severe visual impairment. Out of these, a huge 77% is completely preventable or treatable.

This means there are 33 million people who are blind and 227 million whose lives are severely affected by their vision when it could be treated or prevented.

If they had been able to access the eye care they need, like cataract surgery or a pair of glasses – the kind of care so many of us take for granted – they would be able to see clearly today.

With your help and the support of our amazing volunteers, we can not only give people their sight back today, but help change the quality of ophthalmologists and build a lasting legacy of quality eye care that will ensure no one goes needlessly blind tomorrow.

Back in 2017 The Lancet Global Health reported that avoidable blindness was set to triple by 2050, reaching a shocking 115 million people.

However, the latest data published in March 2021 shows that by 2050 there is likely to be around 60 million people living with blindness.

This is a huge reduction in the original estimate, demonstrating how the hard work of the global eye care community – including Orbis and our volunteers, partners and supporters – is helping to save sight every day.

Eliminating avoidable blindness is one of the most cost effective ways of fighting poverty. For every $1 invested in blindness prevention, more than $4 is returned in economic terms.

Most of the time what it takes to help someone see is relatively straightforward; removing a cataract, prescribing glasses, providing access to antibiotics, or raising awareness of good hygeine can be enough to prevent a lifetime of blindness.

The challenge is building lasting structures that can deliver the type of care needed for generations to come. At Orbis, we know the only way to make a real difference is to strengthen health systems so people can access the quality eye care they deserve when they need it.

Thanks to the Orbis community, we can not only give people their sight back today but can help build a lasting legacy of quality eye care – ensuring no one goes needlessly blind tomorrow.

For over four decades, our fight against avoidable blindness began with the launch of our first Flying Eye Hospital. Today, our amazing team of Volunteer Faculty continues to fly around the world delivering medical training and education to local eye care teams.

Our partnerships with governments, health ministries, NGOs, and local hospitals will ensure that we continue to pull together to help improve access to quality eye care around the world.