World Sight Day Celebration

World Sight Day a day of awareness created to help focus global attention on blindness, visual impairment and rehabilitation of those with visual impairments. World Sight Day is held each year on the second Thursday in October. Gaya Opticians is here to help you detect any eye health issue you might have.

Here are some statistics to consider on World Sight Day (Source: IAPB):

• Approximately 285 million people worldwide live with low vision and blindness.
• Of these, 39 million people are blind and 246 million have moderate or severe visual impairment.
• 90% of blind individuals live in low-income countries, yet 80% of visual impairments are avoidable with treatment and prevention.
• 80% of blind individuals are over the age of 50.
• Women and girls make up over two thirds of the blind population worldwide.
• Restorations of sight, and blindness prevention strategies are among the most cost-effective interventions in health care.
• An estimated 19 million children are visually impaired.

This year World Sight Day is celebrated on Thursday, 13th October. This year’s theme is ‘Stronger Together’.

This year’s focus is to bring in together the stakeholders who are vital for successful delivery eye care. Think of all the groups of people who involve with eye care: ophthalmologists, optometrists, ophthalmic nurses, donors, patients, carers, the wider family. Successful eye care is made possible by working together. The more groups are brought together; such as the diabetic community, the irreparably blind, vulnerable groups, including those with other disabilities; the stronger the society becomes.

Three ways you can celebrate World Sight Day

The key to good eye health is early detection. As part of your overall plan to stay healthy, have your eyes examined on a regular basis.

1. Make an appointment for a complete dilated eye exam. In addition to an eye chart test, drops will be used to dilate your pupils to get a better view of the back of your eyes. If you find out you’re in the early stages of an eye disease like glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration, opticians from Gaya Opticians will be able to help achieve and maintain the highest possible level of eye health and visual function.
2. Encourage family members to have their eyes examined. Especially include children if they haven’t had their eyes examined by an eye care professional. Also urge loved ones who are at risk for vision loss to get examinations, like those who have diabetes, which is a leading cause of avoidable blindness.
3. Use social media. Spread the word and help people to take an eye exam this month so that we can detect some kind of visual impairment and other eye health issues. Inform your friends about World Sight Day on Facebook, Instagram and other sites. Use the hashtag #StrongerTogether when you are spreading the word.

   This World Sight Day, let’s celebrate our partnerships and friendships.