Eye health: WHO warns of worsening vision crisis in Africa

By Chioma Obinna

As the world commemorates World Sight Day today, the World Health Organization, WHO, has sounded the alarm over a growing but often overlooked public health crisis: millions of people across Africa are living with preventable blindness and vision impairment, due to poor access to basic eye care services.

Observed every second Thursday of October, World Sight Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of healthy vision. But this year’s observance comes with a stark warning—particularly for the African Region, where the burden of untreated eye conditions continues to grow.

According to the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, only 26 per cent of those who need cataract surgery receive it with a good visual outcome, and just 30 per cent of individuals with refractive errors—such as short-sightedness—have been successfully treated with corrective measures like eyeglasses.

“These figures are not just statistics. They represent millions of people who are needlessly living with poor vision or blindness—conditions that are largely preventable or treatable,” Janabi  said in a message to mark the day.

Janabi acknowledged that the region has made substantial progress in tackling diseases like vitamin A deficiency, onchocerciasis, and trachoma. However, he warned that these gains are now threatened by rising new challenges.

Aging populations, increasing rates of noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension, unhealthy lifestyles, and limited awareness of eye health practices are contributing to a surge in vision-related conditions. Cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors have emerged as the leading causes of blindness, placing further strain on fragile health systems.

Despite this, only one-third of African countries have a national eye health policy—reflecting what WHO describes as a significant gap in political will, leadership, and investment.

In response to the crisis, the global health community has rolled out a series of strategic interventions. In 2021, the World Health Assembly adopted decision WHA74.12, which set targets to increase effective coverage for refractive errors by 40 percentage points and cataract surgeries by 30 percentage points by 2030.

Building on these targets, the SPECS 2030 initiative was launched by WHO in June 2024. It aims to ensure that everyone in need of refractive error services will have access to affordable, high-quality, and people-centred care. The initiative focuses on improving service delivery, building the eye health workforce, increasing public awareness, reducing treatment costs, and strengthening data systems.

So far, eight countries in the African Region have begun implementing the initiative, with several engaging stakeholders and drafting national workplans.

“These efforts build on earlier programmes like Vision 2020: The Right to Sight which laid the groundwork for cost-effective interventions in cataract-related blindness.”

Despite the progress, WHO stressed that more action is urgently needed.

“Governments are being urged to prioritise eye health by developing comprehensive national strategies, integrating vision services into health benefit packages, training more eye care professionals, and using digital tools like WHO Eyes—a free smartphone app that supports routine vision screening.

WHO also encouraged countries to include vision and sensory health indicators in national health data systems to guide policy and funding decisions. These efforts are part of the broader commitments under

Janabi emphasised that World Sight Day is not just a platform for policymakers, but also a wake-up call for individuals.

He urged people to take charge of their eye health through regular check-ups, early treatment, and lifestyle changes, such as reducing screen time, eating a balanced diet, and managing chronic diseases that impact vision.

“With coordinated global and national action, and by making eye health both a personal and political priority,” he said, “millions of cases of avoidable vision loss can be prevented.”

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