It's World Sight Day

World Sight Day is on Thursday 14 October 2021

Our theme for this year is: #LoveYourEyes

This year, World Sight Day is to be held on Thursday 14th October 2021. This annual event, which is always held on the second Thursday of October, is aiming to draw attention to a range of issues surrounding blindness and visual impairment. It is seen as one of the most important communication and advocacy events on the eye health calendar. Initially started by the Lions Club International Foundation as part of the Sight First campaign in the year 2000, World Sight Day is now coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) under the VISION 2020 global initiative which aims to promote a world in which nobody is needlessly visually impaired. The main aims of World Sight Day include:

  • To raise public awareness of issues surrounding blindness and visual impairment.
  • To influence Governments, and in particular Health Ministers to participate in and donate funds to blindness prevention programs.
  • To educate about blindness prevention.
  • To generate support for the Vision 2021 program and activities.

Across the world, events include seminars, donation drives rallies, and online events. There is also an annual World Sight Day photography competition which is open to photographers both amateur and professional, anywhere in the world.

EVERYONE COUNTS

Nearly everyone on the planet will experience an eye health issue in their lifetime and more than a billion people worldwide do not have access to eye care services. To address the bigger picture at the country and global level, we need to be aware of our own eye health, and so our theme for 2021 is all about #LoveYourEyes. #LoveYourEyes is all about being aware of your own eye health and if you are able to, get a sight test or recommend others do the same. Our eyes can also tell us so much about our general health – soon we’ll have more information about how to #LoveYourEyes and learn more about your own eye health. Share this special day using the hashtags: #LoveYoureyes #sight #love #vision #eyes #eyecare  #eyesight #eyeprotection #optometry #checkup #eyetreatment