Prevalence of Visual Impairment in the World

If you are wearing eyeglasses, you are part of the hundreds of millions worldwide who are visually impaired. According to the World Health Organization, around 280 million are visually impaired, a little less than 40 million are blind, and more than 200 million have poor vision. Most of the visual impairments can be cured or prevented, and the number of those impairments triggered by infectious have decreased. Yet, other people still suffer from blurred vision.

The same worldwide health authority ranks visual function into four levels – normal function, moderate visual impairment, severe visual impairment, and blindness. The two middle levels are both under the low vision category, which, together with blindness, contain all visual ailments. The regions in the world with the most number of cases of visual impairment are Southeast Asia and Western Pacific, followed by Europe, while the region with the least number of cases is East Mediterranean.

In terms of blindness, the Southeast Asian and West Pacific Regions still top the list. The African region follows, while the European region has the least number of cases. The regions with the most number of cases in both visual impairment and blindness are those with high rates of poverty. Developed countries control the number of visually impaired residents because they have access to technology that is needed for corrective procedures for eye diseases. Factors like lifestyle, culture, and weather also affect the statistics.

As most of these cases are preventable, efforts have been done to alleviate them. Governments have set up nationwide programs and campaigns. Charitable institutions as well as private foundations have also done their part. Organizations, associations, and support groups have also contributed to the overall welfare of the people who have poorer vision. Treatments like Texas LASIK surgery and vision therapy have also been established.

In addition to this, eye care services have also been included in health insurance. Procedures like the Texas LASIK surgery after all require long-term maintenance, and health care is set to meet this need.

Lastly, awareness of causes, preventions and maintenance also helps all concerned. Treatments such as the Texas LASIK surgery would be better achieved with the presence of international partnerships. This would ensure that the global community is as one in making people’s visions clearer.