Vision librarians tackle avoidable blindness
Globally, 285 million people are blind or visually impaired , two-thirds of them women and 90% live in developing countries. Poverty and blindness are often linked: people who are blind are less likely to go to school or to work. Often, they need other family members to care for them. Cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness despite the fact that a simple 15-minute surgical procedure can restore sight immediately. Refractive error is the leading cause of visual impairment. Poor quality of service and the high cost of treatment and transportation to distant facilities prevent the majority of the world’s blind and visually impaired people from receiving care. With aid of the Innovative Libraries grant, the program provides access to ophthalmic research for Vision 2020 initiative.
Frequently Asked Questions
