Programs: Advocacy for Preservation of Vision

On this page:

• Advocacy for Preservation of Vision
  
  
• Worldwide Advocacy
  
  
• Causes of Worldwide Blindness
  
  
• ICOFoundation Support for Advocacy
  
  
• More on Programs Supported by the ICOFoundation

Advocacy for Preservation of Vision

Preservation of vision and blindness prevention advanced in the World Health Organization Strategic Plan: 2008–2013 with adoption by the World Health Assembly of Resolution WHA 59.25 in 2006. This instructed the WHO Director-General to give priority to elimination of avoidable blindness, provide technical support for collaboration among countries engaged in prevention of avoidable blindness and monitor progress in the Global Initiative for the Elimination of Avoidable Blindness.

The International Council of Ophthalmology, representing the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies and the more than 120,000 ophthalmologists worldwide combined with Vision 2020, the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness and a number of other professional and nongovernmental organizations to advance prevention of avoidable blindness as a substantial goal of the World Health Organization.

Led by Dr. Hugh R. Taylor (Australia) advocacy for preservation of vision supports programs to provide quality eye care that is accessible and affordable by people throughout the globe.

Worldwide Advocacy

The Global population of more than 6 billion people is distributed unevenly.  Even more striking, data note the uneven distribution of disease-related blindness, low vision and visual impairment. 

In 2002, disease-related severe visual impairment was reported in 124 million people worldwide and an additional 37 million people were blind. Global causes of blindness as a percentage of total blindness vary by region and country. However, cataract continues to be the leading cause of worldwide blindness.

Causes of Worldwide Blindness

Causes	Percent of total blindness
Cataract	47.8
Glaucoma	12.3
Age-related Macular Degeneration	8.7
Corneal Opacities	5.1
Diabetic Retinopathy	4.8
Childhood Blindness	3.9
Trachoma	3.6
Onchocerciasis	0.8
Other causes	13.0

Advocacy for preservation and restoration of vision requires communication and coordination with governments and the general population. In addition, coordination of actions with the World Health Organization, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and Vision2020 is essential.

The Council espouses cooperation with the international entities promoting blindness prevention as well as the multinational and national ophthalmology organizations committed to promote eye and vision care that is effective, accessible and affordable.

ICOFoundation Support for Advocacy

Advocacy promoted and encouraged by the ICOFoundation includes support for participation of ophthalmology representatives in public forums, scientific meetings, governmental conferences and related interactions that promote quality eye care for all people.

More on ICOFoundation programs:

• Ophthalmic Education and Training
  
  
• Ophthalmic Knowledge Assessment
  
  
• Ophthalmic Fellowship Training
  
  
• Eye and Vision Care Guidelines
  
  
• Research in Ophthalmology and Vision

Next: Research in Ophthalmology and Vision

Also see:

• Contribute to the ICOFoundation
  
  
• Programs Supported by the ICOFoundation