Good eye health is critical for newborns and toddlers as they use their vision to learn and understand the world around them. It is often key to healthy development and, if recognized late, left undetected or untreated, vision problems can lead to delayed developmental milestones and even permanent sight loss.

Uncorrected refractive error is the leading cause of vision impairment in school-aged children and teenagers with rates rising due to increased and excessive screen time, close work in education, poor lighting and reduced time spent outdoors. In 2020, 60% of children in Asia and 40% of children in Europe had myopia (nearsightedness)1 with more than half of the world’s population expected to be affected by 20502. Awareness-raising on the importance of eye health and changes to protect vision in school settings is a sound investment as early interventions have the potential to minimise the growing and future burden of myopia. School-based eye health programmes also offer an effective model to deliver eye care and an efficient use of time and resources.

Poor vision can increase workplace injuries, reduce productivity and lead to economic losses. People with visual impairments experience a 30% decrease in employment, increasing the health and social care burden on the state and having a negative impact not only on those directly affected but also on the global economy. Preventive care, regular eye screenings and vision tests can keep older adults in work and support them to continue to be active, healthy, productive members of society. There is also an important connection between eye health and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Recent studies have shown that people with vision loss or eye health conditions are more likely to have other NCDs than people with good vision, and several of the most prevalent NCDs, including diabetes, hypertension, and coronary artery disease, can lead to eye health conditions if not addressed in a timely manner, and vice-versa.

Vision loss in the elderly and age-related conditions is also linked to increased mortality, co-morbid conditions, cognitive decline, falls, social isolation and limited self-care. And the prevalence of vision impairment is only set to grow, particularly due to ageing populations globally. Cataract remains the leading cause of blindness and a major cause of visual loss across the globe. This is despite the fact that cataracts are easily treated, and surgery is considered as a cost-effective intervention that can increase household income and expenditure and therefore support the wider economy. Whole of life There are interventions that are important for eye health and vision that cut across every stage of life and it is important to recognise and address that there are demographic factors, particularly gender, which will dictate eye health outcomes for individuals. For example, there are more women than men with sight loss in every category of vision impairment, and women are also less likely to have the means or information to access services and treatment. And while addressing avoidable vision loss is rightly a global priority, ensuring the full and equal inclusion of people with unavoidable visual impairment is equally important to ensure no-one is left behind.