Join us on May 1 for the plenary session "The Future in Focus: Eye Health in a Changing World” featuring keynotes and a panel discussion. This pivotal session will explore the evolving geopolitical landscape and emerging trends shaping the future of health, development, and technology, with a special emphasis on eye health as we approach the 2030 milestone for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).​

Esteemed leaders driving meaningful change will delve into critical challenges and underlying tensions in global health and development. The discussion will highlight necessary transformations and innovations to navigate an increasingly complex environment, showcasing key enablers and strategies for achieving lasting systemic impact in eye health and beyond.

Room: IAPB Auditorium

The Global Summit for Eye Health, is a leadership call to break boundaries, broaden engagement, and strengthen our influence across sectors. How can you be part of the bold, external-facing discussions that seek to elevate eyecare at a global, regional & national level?​

A diverse group of panellists will answer your questions on how you can help to build multisector collaboration and commitment to policy actions that ensure accessible eye care, secure funding, and ultimately foster collective accountability.

Join us to explore ways to contribute and be part of the event whilst making lasting change in global eye care.​

Room: IAPB Auditorium

Discover the power of the new Vision Atlas and its rich insights to track progress, map change, and drive action toward 2030 In Sight. Hear from global eye health researchers on how data and evidence can measure progress, map change and drive action.​

In this session, gain hands-on insights into leveraging the new Vision Atlas to access comprehensive global eye health data and transform it into actionable strategies that drive impactful outcomes. Discover practical ways to explore and use the Vision Atlas for evidence-based decision-making, while uncovering opportunities to actively engage with and contribute to the global knowledge base. Foster collaboration, share progress, and harness data to accelerate the fight against avoidable sight loss worldwide.​ ​

Room: Kathmandu Room

Eye health contributes directly to over half of the Sustainable Development Goals, accelerating progress across health, education, economic growth, and equality. In a challenging political climate marked by decreased funding for international development, prioritizing cost-effective solutions like eye health is vital to sustaining progress and achieving lasting impact.

This SDG 101 session unpacks why eye health is essential to sustainable development and equips participants with insights to advocate for eye health as a critical enabler in achieving national and global goals. 

Room: Changemaker Room

Rapid fire presentations in this session will include: ​ ​

• Eye Health for Every Child: Launch of the National Vision Screening Program in Mongolia - Chimgee Chuluunkhuu 
• Integrated model of Service delivery, Capacity building and Advocacy for improved Eye Health outcomes in Pre-term Infants in western India 
   - Sucheta Kulkarni 
• Peek-Powered Comprehensive District Eye Health Model: Improving Child Eye Health Outcomes in Pakistan - Harpreet Kapoor 
• Maximizing Social Impact: A Comparative SROI Analysis of Blindness Prevention Programs in India and Nepal - Shaifali Sharma 
• Eyefficiency and Environmental Sustainability: Reducing Carbon Footprint in Eye Care Services - Lila Raj Puri 
• Is the Vision Centre Based Community Eye Health Programme financially viable to reduce avoidable blindness and vision impairment in South Asia? - Parikshit Gogate 
• Strengthening School Eye Health: How a Rapid Assessment Tool Can Improve Outcomes - Priya Morjaria 

Room: Action Cafe

Background
Despite the availability of this simple, sight-correcting intervention (i.e., spectacles), uncorrected refractive error remains the leading cause of vision impairment in child and adult populations. If left uncorrected, refractive error significantly impacts on well-being and can contribute to poor academic performance in children.

In recognition of the large unmet need for care, coupled with the fact a highly cost–effective intervention exists, WHO Member States endorsed the first-ever global target for refractive error at the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly (2021). Specifically, the global target is a 40-percentage point increase in effective coverage of refractive error (eREC) by 2030.

What is WHO SPECS 2030?
A comprehensive approach is needed to address these many long-standing challenges to increasing the coverage of refractive error services. The WHO SPECS 2030 Initiative calls for coordinated action amongst all stakeholders (public, private, non-profit, and philanthropy) across the following five pillars, in line with the SPECS acronym:

Room: IAPB Auditorium

Addressing the global challenge of eye care requires a participatory approach—one where individuals with lived experience are not just beneficiaries but active contributors to shaping solutions that impact their health and well-being. How can we create collaborative spaces that ensure their voices are embedded in decision-making at all levels?​

This session will explore practical strategies for integrating lived experience into policy, service delivery, and advocacy. Through compelling stories and real-world case studies, we’ll showcase successful approaches that have led to more inclusive, patient-centered eye care. Join us to gain actionable insights on how to foster meaningful engagement and drive sustainable impact in global eye health.

Room: IAPB Auditorium

This session will highlight novel technologies that are making impact through scale or have the potential to. Discussions will centre around the key enabling factors that are needed for success including policy & regulation change, workforce changes, digital infrastructure and ability to adapt eye care systems. ​

Discussions will delve into critical areas such as financial considerations for stakeholders, ensuring AI-driven solutions meet local needs, demonstrating ROI and impact, addressing infrastructure gaps, supporting the continuum of care, and implementing systematic changes to ensure successful adoption. Join us to uncover how innovation can transform eye care delivery and scale impact globally.

Room: Kathmandu Room

Unlock the power of storytelling to drive global change and celebrate achievement. Learn how compelling narratives have inspired action and influenced policy. Gain a strong understanding of applying storytelling principles to make eye health impossible to ignore. 

Room: Changemaker Room

Rapid fire presentations in this session will include: ​ ​

• Reaching the Unreached. A case intervention in the state of West Bengal, India, through cross sectoral collaboration and management. - Sampa Paul ​ ​
• Bangladesh in Sight: System Leadership Approach to Eye Health – Jennifer Gersbeck, Sumrana Yasmin ​ ​
• Refractive error correction and harvest worker productivity in the Guatemalan coffee sector: A quasi-experimental analysis – Brad Wong ​ ​
• Advancing health equity for hard-to-reach communities – Lessons for Eye health - Geoffrey Wabulembo​  ​
• Elevating Eye Health in Europe: A Cross‐Sector Approach to Combat Childhood Myopia - Nadiya Deferne ​ ​
• AI-Driven Solutions for Diabetic Retinopathy: Bridging the Eye Care Gap in Rural India - Subeesh Kuyyadiyil​  ​
• The Economic Impacts of Eye Health: Evidence from a Health Economics Module for RAAB - Jack Hennessy, Patricia Marques 

Room: Action Cafe

Investing in eye health isn’t just a health priority—it’s a transformative opportunity to drive economic growth, improve social outcomes, and achieve global development goals. This session will spotlight the latest evidence on the economic and social returns of prioritizing eye health, exploring how early intervention can prevent costly consequences. As governments and organizations navigate competing demands, the case for integrating eye health into policy frameworks like the SDGs, UHC, and national budgets has never been stronger.​ ​

From leveraging data and storytelling to tailoring messages for diverse audiences, this session will provide practical guidance to engage policymakers and overcome barriers to investment. Hear from experts and learn from success stories as you gain the insights needed to inspire action and strengthen the narrative for eye health across varied contexts.​

Room: IAPB Auditorium

As we face the rising demand for eye care, how can we make a transformative shift in our human resource capacity? The global shortage of skilled eye health professionals is a major barrier to quality service delivery. ​ ​

Confronting this workforce deficit and the need for robust local efforts to uphold standards, we will explore innovative strategies to train and retain talent in eye health. Join us as we identify key leverage points to meet the growing need for accessible, high-quality eye care worldwide.

Room: Kathmandu Room

Eye health operates within a complex, interconnected system, requiring a nuanced approach to address challenges and leverage opportunities. In this session, participants will explore the characteristics of complex systems—such as interdependence, unpredictability, and adaptability—and learn essential skills in systems thinking, strategic foresight, and collaborative problem-solving.

Room: Changemaker Room

Rapid fire presentations in this session will include:​ ​

• National plan for detection and treatment of retinopathy of prematurity - Luis Porfirio Orozco Gomez ​ ​
• Community Leaders in Visual Health based on the population identity, now integrated into the Statute of the Mexican Society of Ophthalmology - Silvia Moguel-Ancheita ​ ​
• From Darkness to Autonomy: The Social and Economic Return of Treating Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) - Ellery López-Star ​ ​
• The Long Road to Visual Health. Why distance matters and how where you live determines access to visual health. - Mary Lady González Suriel ​ 
• Working Together - a growth in Brazil since Mexico - Ralf Toenjes ​ 
• Integrating Refractive Error Services With Environmental Care And Social Support In Rural Colombia - Luisa Casas ​ 
• Strengthening Relationships between Latin America and China through Technology & Innovation - Xingru He ​ ​

Room: Action Cafe