Pan-European study counts economic cost of blindness

There is much to learn from the different models of eye care provision across the globe –from some advanced services north of the Scottish border and latest figures from Europe.

While the government there is reflecting on the success of universal free eye care, the cost of not intervening early enough has been revealed by a significant new global study.

The European Forum Against Blindness (EFAB) revealed that the economic costs of blindness in an 11-country European study were estimated to be over €32bn.

Marking World Sight Day, which took place on October 9, the study covered the economic impact of blindness and four eye diseases, concluding that they led to a reduced quality of life and an increased economic burden to society, equivalent to 123 million work days lost per year.