Around 2.5 billion people with poor vision, of whom 80 percent live in developing countries, do not have eyeglasses, which could vastly improve their vision. The leading causes of blindness — cataract, uncorrected refractive error, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, blinding complications from diabetes, and corneal blindness caused by neglected tropical diseases — affect developing countries disproportionately. The consequences are far-reaching.

Poor vision impacts people throughout their lives, preventing children from succeeding at school and adults from reaching their economic potential. However, data shows that advances in medicine and product technology have led the prevalence of vision loss to drop from 4.58 percent in 1995 to 3.37 percent in 2015. But as the world’s population grows, so does the total population of visually impaired people, as well as health concerns tied to population growth and economic development.

Eye health shouldn’t necessarily be seen as a specialization within health care. Some of the leading factors of vision loss, such as premature birth, diabetes, and vitamin A deficiency, could indeed be addressed through primary health care services.

Eye health is a very good indicator of whether health systems work, and whether at the time you’re in need of treatment, you have a chance to access that treatment.

That is why the World Health Organization, in its Global Action Plan 2014-2019 for eye health, is advocating the strengthening of health systems and integrating eye care services into primary health care, rather than pursuing vertical programs.

Essilor, a leading manufacturer of ophthalmic lenses and optical equipment, are running various programs through its nonprofit and inclusive business branches in partnership with international nongovernmental organizations, local governments, and civil society organizations. The company wants to eradicate poor vision by 2050. Additionally, Development organizations are now looking at innovative business models to increase the availability of eyeglasses.

Read the full article about the importance of eye care at Devex.