World Sight Day

World Sight Day

World Sight Day is on the second Thursday of October each year. This year’s focus is on the importance of eye care in the workplace. Each year, the eye health community uses World Sight Day to promote eye health messages. The messages are not only to the public, but also to decision-makers and service providers.

Together, World Sight Day encourages employers to make eye health initiatives standard practice. And this day encourages eye health habits that will benefit the well-being, safety, and productivity of millions of employees.

The first step is prioritizing your own eye health. The next step is motivating the world’s employers to provide quality eye care to their employees. From factory floors and office buildings to staff rooms and studios, let’s ensure that eye care is available everywhere. Further, eye care needs to be accessible and affordable to all. On World Sight Day, pledge that you will raise awareness and drive demand for eye care services. As an individual, we invite you to pledge your own sight test. Add your name to the millions of others who are doing the same. Wear a blue awareness ribbon pin, blue fabric ribbon, or blue silicone awareness wristband to raise awareness for World Sight Day.

History of World Sight Day

World Sight Day was initially created in 2000 as part of the SightFirst Campaign. It was launched by the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF). Then, it was incorporated into VISION 2020, a global initiative, which has been expanded and built upon by a series of additional plans. The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and the World Health Organization (WHO) organizes World Sight Day events every year. IAPB takes on the responsibility of deciding on each year’s theme and creating informational materials. From there, members and organizations plan their own events.

In 2020, there were 255 World Sight Day events throughout 47 countries. These events ranged from online-only events, including seminars, to donation drives.

The Story Behind the World of Work

We know that workplaces are safer and more productive when eye care is prioritized for employees. Sight loss costs the global economy $411 billion every year, according to the Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health. 30% of people with sight loss experience a reduction in employment, at great cost to businesses and individuals. However, 90% of sight loss is avoidable with early detection and treatment. Countries with some of the biggest potential productivity gains include China ($96 billion), the United States ($50 billion), India ($27 billion), Japan ($20 billion) and the United Kingdom ($12 billion).

Eye care and rehabilitation services should be accessible, inclusive, and affordable to everyone, regardless of their location or socio-economic status. People must understand the importance of caring for their own eye health and demand access to services, free from any social stigma. Only then can we can address the needs of the 2.2 billion people who suffer from vision impairment or blindness across the globe.

Vision loss is insidious, often robbing individuals of their sight before they even realize it. It is imperative that we prioritize eye health alongside other essential health interventions to ensure that problems can be diagnosed, treated, and, in many cases, cured.

How to Love Your Eyes at Work

To underpin the Love Your Eyes at Work campaign, IAPB compiled a tailored collection of resources designed specifically for global workplaces. These resources provided employees and employers with tips to take care of eye health while in the workplace. In addition, they offered best practices for human resources and occupational health and safety officers.