World Sight Day 2021

World Sight Day is an international day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October. It is coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and is the most important day on the eye health calendar. This year, we're asking all of you, our wonderful supporters and partners, to get your eyes checked.

Many people think an eye exam is only for getting a pair of glasses. But it’s about that and so much more. It’s about catching eye conditions early – before they lead to vision loss. It’s about taking care of your eyes so that you don’t miss any of life’s important moments. An eye exam could show early signs of cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy - all preventable, treatable or manageable conditions if caught early enough.

Here at Orbis we believe that every person counts - so we need to think not just about what we can do for our own eye health, but how we can help raise awareness of those around us who don’t have access to good quality eye care.

Being unable to get care like a routine cataract surgery or a pair of glasses can keep a child from going to school, a woman from providing for herself and her family, and a man from seeing his grandchildren.

Having access to quality eye care transforms lives. It can open doors for getting an education, being less likely to live in poverty, gaining financial independence, and being able to thrive.

Every $1 invested in eye care in low- and middle-income countries is estimated to yield $4 in economic gain. This is the transformative ripple effect of sight-saving care.

This short Public Service Announcement emphasizes the importance of getting your eyes screened and how, by looking after your eyes, you can help make sure you don't miss any of life's important moments.

From birthdays to graduations, from sunsets to the faces of your loved ones – see what you’d miss? Nearly everyone on the planet will experience an eye health issue in their lifetime, but not everyone will be able to get the care they need.

Out of the 1 billion people living with avoidable vision loss, 33 million people are blind and a further 227 million have moderate-to-severe visual impairment - needlessly.

But there is hope. Thanks to the kindness of supporters like you, our wonderful partners and volunteers, the stories below show what can happen when you show your eyes some love.

While you go ahead and book your next eye exam, the Orbis family is helping millions of people access eye screenings in their community. Thanks to your support, we conducted 3.4 million eye exams in 2020 alone.

By training eye care professionals in areas with the greatest need, we’re ensuring that they can save sight in their communities now – and for generations to come.

When eye care professionals get the training they need, patients get the eye care they deserve.

Thanks for showing your eyes some love, and helping others do the same.