WHO World Report on Vision
The World Health Organization’s first ever World Report on Vision represents a significant milestone in the effort to achieve universal access to eye health and vision care. The purpose of the report is to generate greater awareness of the extent of vision impairment and blindness and increase political will and investment to strengthen eye care around the world. It sets out concrete proposals to address the challenges in delivering eye care globally and proposes the integration of people centred eye care in health systems as the solution.
Click here to access the full report
The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health: vision beyond 2020
The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health reviews new and existing research in eye health and argues that addressing avoidable vision loss with highly cost-effective treatments, and improving inclusion of people living with permanent vision loss in society, offers enormous potential to improve the economic outlook of individuals and nations, contributes to a healthier, safer, more equitable world and is essential to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Click here to access the full report
WHA Global Eye Health Targets
On the 27th May 2021, The World Health Assembly endorsed global eye health targets asking for –
- A 40-percentage point increase in effective coverage of refractive error by 2030;
- A 30-percentage point increase in effective coverage of cataract surgery by 2030.
Interventions that address the needs associated with uncorrected refractive error and unoperated cataract are among the most cost-effective and feasible health interventions available. These targets will play a key role in increasing global eye care coverage in the future while delivering quality services.
Thank you to the Vision 2020 Australia member organisations and partners who have been involved in supporting this work.
Vision 2020 Australia has developed a background paper on the WHO Global Eye Health Targets and their relevance to the Australian context. You can access these documents here –
WHO Global Eye Health Targets – Word
WHO Global Eye Health Targets – PDF
Or for further information check out the WHO website
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)
IAPB is the overarching alliance for the global eye health sector, with more than 150 organisations in over 100 countries working together for a world where everyone has universal access to eye care. Here you can view –
- The Vision Atlas – a compilation of the latest eye health data and evidence, including country and regional inequalities in eye care services.
- Knowledge & Advocacy Hub – resources to support and inform good practice, policy and planning in eye health.
- Work Groups – expert groups that address long term issues and promote knowledge, collaborative activities and good practice (e.g. climate action, gender equity & school eye health)
- UN Friends of Vision – a group of UN members states that aim to advance eye health within the context of the SDGs, raise its profile on the international agenda, and share knowledge from the sector with and among Member States.