2.2 billion people have visual impairment – WHO report

MANILA, Philippines — More than one billion people worldwide have visual impairment which could have been prevented had they received proper care, the World Health Organization (WHO) ’s first report on vision showed.

Based on the report, at least 2.2 billion people have vision impairment. Of this number, some one billion “do not get the care they need for conditions like short and far sightedness, glaucoma and cataract.”

WHO said aging populations, changing lifestyles and limited access to eye care, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, are among the main drivers of the rising number of people living with vision impairment.

But the report also showed that myopia, or near-sightedness, is among the most  common visual impairments.  

It stated that “increased time spent indoors  and increased ‘near work’ activities are leading to more people suffering from myopia. Increased outdoor time can reduce this risk.”     

The increasing number of people with diabetes, particularly Type 2, are also contributing to the problem as this illness can lead to diabetic retinopathy, impacting the vision if not detected and treated. 

“Eye conditions and vision impairment are widespread, and far too often they still go untreated… People who need eye care must be able to receive quality interventions without suffering financial hardship,” said WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

He noted it is important to include eye care in national health plans and essential packages of care in all parts of every country’s journey towards universal health coverage.

“It is unacceptable that 65 million people are blind or have impaired sight when their vision could have been corrected overnight with a cataract operation, or that over 800 million struggle in everyday activities because they lack access to a pair of glasses,” he added.

The report also showed the burden of eye conditions and vision impairment is not borne equally. It is often far greater in people living in rural areas, those with low incomes, women, older people, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and indigenous populations.

WHO said the unmet need of distance vision impairment in low- and middle-income regions is estimated to be four times higher than in high-income regions.

Low- and middle-income regions of western and eastern sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia have rates of blindness that are eight times higher than in all high-income countries. Rates of cataract and trachomatous trichiasis are higher among women, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.                          

The agency added that $14.3 billion is needed to address the backlog of one billion people living with vision impairment or blindness due to short and far sightedness.