The second Thursday of October is World Sight Day, providing an opportunity to emphasize the significance of protecting our eyes and vision, raising awareness about vision impairment and blindness, and nurturing eye and vision care. This year, On October 10, 2024, World Sight Day 2024, World Health Organization (WHO) is paying specific attention to child eye health, highlighting the need for accessible and affordable vision services for all children.
Uncorrected vision impairment can impact education and social inclusion, yet simple solutions like spectacles can make a substantial difference. In May 2024, WHO launched the global SPECS 2030 initiative, aimed at assuring that everyone who needs them has access to affordable, high-quality spectacles and vision care services.
World Sight Day 2024 also serves as a platform to dispel misunderstandings surrounding eye health. It promotes the normalization of wearing spectacles and other corrective interventions, helping children avoid social stigma.
Parents and educators as key players
Research shows that restricting screen time and facilitating outdoor activities can prevent the onset of short-sightedness (myopia) in children. Regular eye checks are vital in identifying vision problems early on. To facilitate this, the WHO developed WHOeyes, a free app available in 14 languages for both iOS and Android, developed to allow home-based vision testing for people aged 8 and older.
Vision restoration: A high-impact health intervention
Despite advances in cataract surgery and refractive error correction, WHO estimates that only 40% of those in the European Region who need cataract surgery receive it. While 64% benefit from effective refractive error correction, substantial gaps remain.
World Sight Day is also a call for adults to prioritize their eye health, take regular breaks from digital devices, protect their eyes from harmful chemicals, and wear sunglasses to prevent UV-related eye damage. On this World Sight Day, let’s commit to protecting our children’s vision for a healthier tomorrow.