Rory Brogan: World Sight Day - a day to remember

You would have to be hard of heart not to have felt moved by the live streaming following a cataract operation in Malawi filmed by Sightsavers to mark World Sight Day (October 9).

As an exercise in raising awareness that much of sight loss is preventable, and cataracts in particular can be treated effectively and without great expense, this was a headline-grabbing event. As the bandage was removed from 69-year-old Winesi March’s eye and he could see once more, this sparked celebrations of singing and dancing among his family in the hospital room.

Events relating to the awareness day also took place much closer to home, and in Scotland in particular. Here Alex Neil MSP, the health secretary, used the occasion to highlight the ‘world-leading work of Scotland’s community eye care services’, pointing out that ‘Scotland had taken the lead in the UK and introduced universal free eye care’. He highlighted an Eyecare Integration Programme that will receive £6.6m funding over 10 years to speed up the identification of eye conditions, particularly sight threatening ones.