Preservation and Restoration of Vision:
Vision for the Future, Part 2: Economic Benefits of Ophthalmologic Care: Present Magnitude and Major Causes of Visual Impairment
More on Preservation of Vision:
Initiatives and Organizations:
- International Ophthalmology's Vision for the Future
- VISION 2020: The Right to Sight
- Research Agenda for Global Blindness Prevention
- WHO and Non-Governmental Development Organizations (NGOs)
- IFOS Society Preservation of Vision Initiatives
- Other Initiatives
Information and Resources:
An analysis of the available data on blindness and low vision put together by WHO shows that there are nearly 45 million blind people and almost 110 million have low vision, resulting in nearly 135 million people with some degree of visual impairment.
The major cause of blindness in India, China and sub-Saharan Africa is cataract. Globally, there are at least 16 million people who are blind from cataract.
Unoperated cataract has been shown to be the major cause of blindness, accounting for 50% - 80% of all causes of blindness in the available population-based surveys.
For every person blind from cataract, there are probably three more cases who are severely visually disabled due to cataract.
Next: Development of Financial Sustainability in Eye Care and Examples of Successful Models
Also see:
- Contents of Economic Benefits of Ophthalmologic Care
- Table of Contents for Vision for the Future
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