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CBM Ireland celebrates World Sight Day 2014

: Joyce, our 10 millionth cataract patient, celebrates her sight with CBM staff in Tanzania

CBM celebrates World Sight Day on October 9th. This International Day puts the focus on visual impairments and calls for action for the prevention of avoidable blindness.

What is World Sight Day?

World Sight Day, celebrated this year on October 9, is an annual day of awareness around blindness and visual impairments.

The rolling theme for the World Sight Day is ‘Universal Eye Health’. Last year the Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment 2014-2019 was approved by the World Health Assembly. The vision of this Global Action Plan (GAP) is a world where those with unavoidable vision loss can achieve their full potential, and where there is universal access to comprehensive eye care, integrated health systems and rehabilitation services.

No More Avoidable Blindness

The ‘Call to Action’ this World Sight Day is ‘No More Avoidable Blindness’. One of the main targets of the GAP is reducing avoidable blindness by 25% in the next five years. Diseases such as trachoma, onchocerciasis (river blindness) and cataract are leading causes of global blindness; however according to the WHO 80% of all visual impairment can be prevented or cured. The WHO also estimates that 285 million people are visually impaired worldwide, and 90% of them live in low – income settings (Fact Sheet N°282, August 2014).

CBM and Neglected Tropical Diseases

For many years CBM along with its partners has been actively combatting Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) such as trachoma and onchocerciasis (river blindness). NTDs present a largely hidden burden that affect the most marginalised communities living in poverty and conflict zones. These diseases disproportionately affect children, women and persons with disability and flourish under conditions characterised by poor housing and sanitation, unsafe water, and limited access to basic health care.

CBM and partners primarily focus on prevention and treatment to combat trachoma and river blindness.

CBM 2013 statistics for river blindness:
• 67,098 community and health workers were trained
• 14,653 patients were rehabilitated
• 930,629 persons received health education
• 99% of the work has been done in Africa

CBM 2013 statistics for Trachoma:
• 19,991 surgeries were supported.
• 10,895,231 persons received health education in face washing and hygiene; over 87% in Africa.
• 680 community and health workers were trained.

Additionally CBM is an active member of the Neglected Tropical Disease NGDO Network - a global forum for non - government development organisations working to control NTDs.