In Focus: Outlook for eye health

A report published by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) has found that over 1.1 billion people experienced vision loss because they do not have access to eye care services.

This figure could rise to 1.7 billion people by 2050 because of population growth and ageing, the IAPB said in its Vision Atlas report.

It added that in many regions, the scale and approach of existing service delivery were insufficient to meet current population needs, let alone the 2050 projections.

Over 90% of vision loss could have been prevented and the leading causes included uncorrected refractive error, unoperated cataracts, age-related degeneration (AMD), glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.