Our History

Vision 2020 Australia, as part of VISION 2020: The Right To Sight (external link), has united the eye health and vision care sector and in partnership with government, has made great progress towards the elimination of avoidable blindness and vision loss.

VISION 2020: The Right to Sight

VISION 2020: The Right to Sight is the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness. It was launched in 1999 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). They are joined by an international membership of non-government organisations (NGOs), professional associations, eye care institutions and corporations.

The VISION 2020 initiative seeks to eliminate the main causes of avoidable blindness in order to give all people in the world the right to sight.

For more information visit the Vision 2020 website (external link).

Vision 2020 Australia

Since our inception in October 2000, Vision 2020 Australia has united the eye health and vision care sector and, in partnership with government, has made great progress towards the elimination of avoidable blindness and vision loss.

This successful partnership has resulted in eye health and vision care being addressed in Australia's health policy and international development program. Australia is now recognised internationally for its leadership in improving eye health and vision care policies, increasing funding levels and raising awareness of eye health issues.

Over the next ten years, we will continue to work with our members to ensure that eye health and vision care remains high on the health and disability agendas of governments in Australia and abroad—ensuring that Australia fulfils its commitments under the World Health Assembly Resolutions and the VISION 2020 Action Plan for the Prevention of Avoidable Blindness and Vision Impairment.

National Framework

Global political commitment to VISION 2020: The Right to Sight was affirmed in 2003 by the adoption of the World Health Assembly resolution WHA56.26: Elimination of avoidable blindness which urged Member States to develop and implement a national eye health plan.

Vision 2020 Australia was instrumental in the development of the National Framework for Action to Promote Eye Health and Prevent Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss (National Framework) which was endorsed in 2005. It represents Australia's response to the WHA resolution.

The National Framework aims to provide a blueprint for nationally coordinated action by governments, health professionals, non-government organisations, industry and individuals to work in partnership. It does not focus on any one specific condition, but outlines five key action areas:

• reducing the risk of eye disease and injury
• increasing early detection
• improving access to eye health care services
• improving the systems and quality of care
• improving the underlying evidence base.

For more information visit the Department of Health and Ageing website (external link).