In a recent revelation on World Sight Day, a groundbreaking study has exposed the staggering economic repercussions of avoidable sight loss in India. The findings indicate that this issue drains a staggering $27 billion from the nation’s economy annually, making India the third most affected country globally, after China and the United States.
This profound research, undertaken by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) in collaboration with Professor Kevin Frick from Johns Hopkins University, has scrutinized the financial toll of preventable vision impairment among individuals over the age of 50. The analysis utilizes data derived from the World Bank, focusing on GNI per capita, alongside prevalence statistics for various eye health conditions found in the ‘VLEG/GBD 2020 Model’ featured in the IAPB Vision Atlas. It assesses the economic losses associated with moderate to severe vision impairment and blindness due to untreated refractive errors or unoperated cataracts in individuals aged 50-65.
Notably, the research underscores the detrimental effect of sight loss on employment, revealing that 30% of individuals with vision impairment experience a decline in job opportunities. This issue disproportionately affects women, rural communities, and ethnic minority groups. Alarmingly, a staggering 90% of vision loss can be averted through early detection and treatment, making it essential to prioritize eye health.
The Love Your Eyes campaign, spearheading this crucial research, underscores the significance of bolstering eye health to enhance overall productivity. This World Sight Day serves as an imperative call to action for corporate leaders to incorporate eye health into their workplace wellness programs.
India currently contends with a formidable challenge, with 70 million people grappling with visual impairment. The urgent need for early detection and treatment of eye conditions like cataracts and myopia is apparent, safeguarding not only individual livelihoods but also bolstering the thriving business landscape.
As our world becomes increasingly digitalized, the importance of safeguarding eye health cannot be overstated. Prolonged screen usage, characteristic of the service and office-based jobs of the future, poses a considerable risk of eye strain. Globally, sight loss exacts a staggering cost of $411 billion on the economy each year, as elucidated by the Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health.
In a clarion call to action, Peter Holland, CEO of IAPB and the spokesperson for the Love Your Eyes campaign, has underlined the significance of employers including eye health in their well-being strategies. He emphasizes that women, individuals in rural areas, and ethnic minority groups are particularly vulnerable to sight loss, which can result in their exclusion from gainful employment and essential services.
Vinod Daniel, CEO of India Vision Institute, underscores the fact that many disadvantaged and rural communities suffer from inadequate access to eye care. These communities often go without essential vision screenings and corrective eyeglasses, leading to significant financial losses for the nation and reduced earnings for the affected individuals. Early detection emerges as a crucial element in preventing blindness, with proactive community, school, and workplace efforts being instrumental in providing free vision screenings and spectacles to those who would otherwise lack access.
As we navigate the shifting economic landscape characterized by burgeoning service industries and desk-bound occupations, safeguarding eye health is of paramount importance. The revelations of this research not only underscore the immense financial burden of avoidable sight loss but also serve as a compelling clarion call for concerted efforts to promote eye health and well-being.
In this era of transformation, the future of our economy hinges on our ability to protect our most precious asset – our vision.