Avoidable Blindness in Developing Countries

Today, there is an estimated 180 million people worldwide who are visually disabled.

The loss of sight causes enormous human suffering for the affected individuals and their families and represents a huge public health, social and economic problem for developing countries, where 9 out of 10 of the world's blind live. According to World Health Organisation estimates, about 80% of global blindness is avoidable: either it results from the conditions that could have been prevented or controlled if the available knowledge and interventions had been timely applied or it can be successfully treated with the sight restored.

Put simply, millions of people around the world are needlessly blind because they can’t get simple surgery or treatment that could save their sight. And too often, if you live in a poor community, going blind means losing your chance to go to school, earn a living or live independently.

Treating blinding diseases like river blindness and trachoma can be achieved for as little as 16p, where as cataracts can be treated with simple surgery for as little as £24.