World Sight Day (WSD) is an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October, to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment. WSD is co-ordinated by IAPB under the VISION 2020 Global Initiative. The theme, and certain core materials are generated by IAPB. All events are organised independently by members and supporter organisations. http://www.iapb.org/advocacy/world-sight-day AIMS INCLUDE:

• Raise public awareness of blindness & vision impairment as major international public health issues
• Influence Governments/Ministers of Health to participate in and designate funds for national blindness prevention programmes
• Educate target audiences about blindness prevention,  about VISION 2020 and to generate support for VISION 2020 programme activities

Key Messages

• Approximately 285 million people worldwide live with low vision and blindness
• Of these, 39 million people are blind and 246 million have moderate or severe visual impairment
• 90% of blind people live in low-income countries
• Yet 80% of visual impairment is avoidable – i.e. readily treatable and/or preventable
• Restorations of sight, and blindness prevention strategies are among the most cost-effective interventions in health care
• The number of people blind from infectious causes has greatly reduced in the past 20 years
• An estimated 19 million children are visually impaired
• About 65 % of all people who are visually impaired are aged 50 and older, while this age group comprises only 20% of the world’s population
• Increasing elderly populations in many countries mean that more people will be at risk of age-related visual impairment.

Get your Eyes Tested
This call to action recognises a vital aspect of a successful and sustainable eye health network – an informed and regular end-user base which accesses eye care services at different points, based on need, age and other such factors. If more people were diagnosed early with keratoconus for example then more grafts could be avoided especially in third world countries.

TWEET AND HELP SPREAD THE WORD

1. 10/10/2013 is World Sight Day! Learn more: www.iapb.org/wsd13 #WSD #WSD13
2. 4 out of 5 blind people are needlessly so. #WSD #WSD13
3. The theme for World Sight Day this year? Universal eye health!  #WSD #WSD13
4. What is happening around the world this World Sight Day? Search for #WSD #WSD13
5. Get your eyes tested! 10/10/2013 #WSD #WSD13
6. What is Avoidable Blindness? Why are 4 out of 5 avoidably blind? #WSD #WSD13 Learn more:http://www.iapb.org/vision-2020/what-is-avoidable-blindness
7. World Sight Day is 10 Oct! Do get your eyes examined in time #WSD #WSD13
8. #Blindfold important statues on World Sight Day! And share those pictures with us #WSD #WSD13http://www.iapb.org/wsd13/wsd13-promotional-material
9. Let’s work together to eliminate avoidable blindness this #WSD #WSD13 learn more: www.IAPB.org
10. What are the #GlobalFacts around avoidable blindness? Learn them all this World Sight Day #WSD #WSD13 http://www.iapb.org/vision-2020/global-facts