Yesterday we celebrated 2019 World Sight Day. The intent of World Sight Day is to focus attention across the world on blindness and vision impairment. There are 36 million people in the world who are blind.  Additionally, there are 217 million people with moderate to severe distance vision impairment (nearsighted). Correction of refractive conditions such as nearsightedness and farsightedness using glasses and contacts is often underappreciated. Of these 217 million people, 124 million do not have access to glasses or contacts and remain visually impaired throughout their lives. When we add in the 65 million people who need but do not have access to cataract surgery, we find that 75% of the world's visual impairment is easily avoidable. 

What can we do to help? Start by taking care of yourself and seeking annual eye health exams.  Support local charities and mission trips that focus on providing vision care to the poor and under-served.  Donate old glasses that no longer match your prescription. Your local optometrist likely has a collection box for these glasses. 

Sight is truly a gift often taken for granted. By increasing awareness and funding the right organizations, we can all do our part in providing vision care to the millions of people who need but do not have access to it.  For more information and to see more statistics like those in this article, please visit the World Sight Day website.