Control and prevention of blindness and deafness

An image showing eye patients in free eye camp for cataract surgeryThe control and prevention of blindness and deafness programme works with Member States, partners and collaborating centres to develop strategies for eye health and the prevention of blindness and visual impairment in the Region. As part of the global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020, "VISION 2020: The Right to Sight"' aims to eliminate the main causes of avoidable blindness in the Region by 2020.

Activities for the prevention of deafness and hearing impairment include working with Member States in reducing and eventually eliminating avoidable hearing impairment and disability through preventive and rehabilitative measures.

News

World Sight Day 2014

World Sight Day this year falls on 9 October. It is an annual international event celebrated on the second Thursday of October to raise the public’s awareness of avoidable blindness...

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Visual impairment is a significant health problem worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that globally about 285 million people are visually impaired, of whom 39 million are blind. It has...

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18 April 2012 – Avoidable blindness is a major health problem in Somalia. The estimated blindness prevalence rate is 1.2%, and more than 100 000 people are blind. Cataract remains...

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In focus

Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health, in conjunction with the World Health Organization, has opened 10 temporary eye clinics across the country to enable cataract operations to be performed.    Funded by a US$ 90 000 donation from the Kuwait Patients' Helping Fund Society, the plan is to carry out 2000 cataract surgeries by the end of the year.  "Visual impairment is treatable but poor people cannot afford it," Peter Graaff, WHO's Representative in...

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Events

Regional workshop on strengthening and integrating the ear and hearing care programme within primary health care and health systems, 18–20 November 2013

The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, in collaboration with the Supreme Council for Health, Qatar, organized a regional workshop on strengthening and integrating the ear and hearing care programme within...

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The regional workshop for integrating and strengthening ear and hearing care within primary health care, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 20-21 December 2011

The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean organized a regional workshop on integrating and strengthening ear and hearing care within primary health care, from 20 to 21 December 2011...

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Statistics and figures

  • Over 23 million people are visually impaired in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, of whom 5 million people are blind
  • 80% of blindness is avoidable (treatable and/or preventable)
  • 90% of blind people live in developing countries
  • About 200 000 children are blind