The State of Eye Health Worldwide
There are more than 180 million individuals in the world who are blind or at serious risk of becoming blind, yet many causes of blindness that include cataracts and glaucoma can potentially be prevented or treated. Still others, like macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, need much more exploration. The World Health Organization estimates that, globally, up to 75 percent of all blindness is avoidable.
Of the more than 45 million people worldwide who have actually lost their sight, more than 82 percent are 50 years of age and older, with cataracts being the leading cause of blindness.
The fact that many populations across the globe are demographically shifting toward the predominance of older age groups translates to an ever-increasing number of people at risk for visual impairment in the future. This larger aging population and increased life spans also increases the potential of other blinding eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
Decelerating these trends will require much effort, but Alcon is prepared to tackle the task, as we believe that a better quality of life for the world begins with the eye care needs of communities across the globe.