Vision Care and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Vision Care as a Global Health Issue
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than a billion people live with vision impairments because they do not have access to vision care. The report also noted that the people who are most impacted by lack of vision care are the same people who are generally known to struggle with other forms of disparity, such as minorities, people of low socioeconomic status and those from low- and middle-income regions.
Given that vision impairment can have severe (or even debilitating) consequences for the lives of individuals, global health experts have deemed it an essential component of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015.
Consider the following ways in which more widespread, equitable vision care would affect the lives of people around the world:
- Better overall health and well-being (SDG #3)
- Better access to and achievement in education (SDG #4)
- Increase productivity in the workplace, which would in turn improve individuals’ financial situations and benefit the wider economy (SDG #8)
- Given that women and economically disadvantaged people are disproportionately affected by a lack or denial of access to vision care, expanded access would improve gender equality and reduce inequity (SDGs #5 &10)