According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 1.8 billion people living with a condition called low- or middle-income eye disease. By 2050, these rates are expected to be nine times higher than in high-income nations like North America. In contrast, the greatest proportion of blind people live in South and east Asia. The major barrier to eye care for these populations is a shortage of trained healthcare workers. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, one ophthalmologist is needed to serve a population of one million.
The UN has a global vision strategy that outlines how vision problems can lead to a loss of productivity in 2020. The UN also published a report that estimates the economic cost of moderate-to-severe vision loss to countries around the world. It is estimated that this condition will cost more than US$70 billion by 2050. However, many countries have taken steps to prevent these vision conditions. The goal is to eliminate blindness and vision impairment as much as possible.
Ending Line
The United Nations has a plan to combat blindness and visual impairment. This plan aims to reduce the number of blind people. The goal is to eliminate the causes of low vision. In addition to eye diseases, these plans aim to promote eye health through the provision of basic health care and prevention services. Aside from addressing the causes of low sight, the plan will include recommendations on how to prevent the loss of sight.
