The Global View: Why Eye Health Is Everyone’s Business

Did you know that over 2.2 billion people around the world experience some form of visual impairment or blindness?

That might sound like just another statistic — until you realize that at least half of these cases are preventable or treatable. More than 1 billion people are living with vision loss that could have been avoided or corrected with timely care.

And the burden isn’t shared equally. The vast majority of these cases occur in low- and middle-income countries, where poverty, limited healthcare infrastructure, and social vulnerability intersect. In many of these communities, something as simple as a pair of glasses or a short cataract surgery is out of reach.

The leading causes of visual impairment worldwide are:

• Uncorrected refractive errors – easily corrected with spectacles

• Cataracts – treatable through safe and effective surgery

So why is this still such a global issue?

Because beyond clinical access, there are broader social determinants of eye health — the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age. These include:

• Income and poverty levels

• Education and literacy

• Geographic location and access to services

• Cultural beliefs and stigma

• And critically, awareness

Many people don’t know their vision problems are treatable. Others accept worsening sight as an inevitable part of aging. And some never seek help because they’ve never been told they could.

The ripple effects of poor vision are profound.

Individually, it limits education and development in children as well as employment and independence in adults. It increases the risk of injury, especially in older adults. Families are impacted as caregiving needs rise. And globally, the economic toll is staggering — with productivity losses from unaddressed vision impairment estimated at over $400 billion annually.

But here's the good news: eye health is one of the most cost-effective investments in public health. Providing glasses, funding community eye screenings, training local eye care professionals, and expanding access to cataract surgeries have proven, measurable impacts — not just on vision, but on livelihoods, dignity, and development.

At Eye Love by Iton, we believe in this broader vision: one where universal eye care isn’t a luxury, but a right. Where everyone, everywhere, has access to the services they need to see clearly, live fully, and participate equally.

Let’s keep the conversation going.

Follow us at Eye Love by Iton as we shine a spotlight on eyes, for the love of our eyes. There's so much more in store.

World Health Organization Fact Sheets on Blindness and Vision Impairment.