The natural lens is located in the eye just behind the iris and the pupil. Light entering the eye
is focused by the lens onto the retina. When a cataract forms, the lens is no longer able to
focus the light clearly. Your vision becomes cloudy and an early cataract may cause few
problems with vision. If the cataract gets worse, sight may be partially or completely lost
until the cataract is removed.
VISION2020 - 'THE RIGHT TO SIGHT' - The elimination of avoidable blindness
A global partnership between WHO and IAPB, the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness
aiming to eliminate avoidable blindness by the year 2020.
EVERY 5 SECONDS ONE PERSON IN OUR WORLD GOES BLIND
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AND A CHILD GOES BLIND EVERY MINUTE !
In the developing world, cataract blindness and poverty are often coincidental.
The disability increases the risk of poverty as cataract blind are unable to earn a living and conditions of
poverty increase the probability of cataract blindness. Poor patients also are often unaware of treatment
options or have not enough money to pay for them.
Treatment
Certain medications can accelerate the development of cataracts. Sometimes, the cataract stops
developing in its early stages and vision is only slightly decreased, but if continues to develop,
vision is impaired and surgical treatment is required.
What is cataract ?
Cataract, the clouding of the normally clear, transparent natural crystalline lens of the eye,
is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. It is not a tumor or growth of new tissue over or
in the eye, but a fogging and loss of clarity of the natural crystalline lens.
VISION2020 - CATARACT IS A LEADING CAUSE OF BLINDNESS
The program through its member organisations facilitates the availability of affordable and high quality
cataract surgical services and supplies. In countries of Africa and Asia cataract accounts for at least
half of all blindness, despite the known technology that can restore vision at extremely low cost.
Reducing the backlog of cataract blindness mainly requires,
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Trachoma 3.6% ▬
▬ Glaucomas 12.3%
Onchocersiasis 0.8% ▬
( River Blindness )
▬ Other causes 13%
Diabetic Retinopathi 4.8% ▬
▬ Childhood blindness 3.9%
▬ Non-trachomatous corneal opacity 5.1%
Age related
Macular AMD 8.7% ▬
Degeneration
18 million
retina
optic nerve
- lens
Cataract
Treatment
Blindness worldwide
World Sight Day,
an annual day of awareness held on the second Thursday of October,
which focuses attention on the problem of global blindness and vision loss.
World Sight Day is coordinated by IAPB, as part of the WHO / IAPB VISION2020 'The Right to Sight' initiative.
Causes
Cataract is a leading cause of blindness
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Causes
Cataracts result from many conditions, the most frequent cause is the natural aging process. Other
causes may include eye trauma, chronic eye disease and other medical conditions such as diabetes.
Cataracts can take from a few months to several years to develop.
Cataract and poverty
Major causes of blindness worldwide ( 2006 )
IMPLEMENTATION OF VISION2020 OBJECTIVES BY WHO REGION AT DECEMBER 2006
( PDF - 84Kb )
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Economy supplies Foldable iols PMMA iols Eye drapes Eye shields Eye drops Cataract kit Cataract Surgery Packs VISION2020 Donate Contact us
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Donate
▬ cataract 47.8%
Eye4Vision Int'l.
®
VISION2020
WORLD SIGHT DAY 2009 - 8 October 2009
World Sight Day
Training ophthalmic personnel
Strengthening the existing health care infrastructure
Affordable pricing and availability of surgical supplies
World Sight Day 2009
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