This international annual global day of awareness was started in 2000 by Lions Club International, and aims to be a call to action for governments and NGOs, as well as individuals.
This year the theme is “Vision First”. Worldwide there are more than 250 million people with visual impairment, 36 million of which are blind. More than 75% of these people are suffering avoidable causes of vision loss, and almost 90% of visual impairment is suffered in low and middle income countries.
In Australia, Vision 2020 is focussing on the inequality of health outcomes experienced by people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, and on prevention. We recommend regular eye checks, especially for over-40s, quitting smoking, eye protection for sports and work, regular exercise and following a healthy diet, wearing a hat and sunglasses, and managing diabetes.
#WorldSightDayAU
