This year’s World Sight Day (WSD) call to action is “Everyone Counts” and focuses on eye health concerns worldwide. The observance, which falls on 14 October 2021 and being organized by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), revolves around addressing preventable vision impairment and encouraging governments, institutions, corporations and individuals to actively support universal access to eye health.

With the theme #LoveYourEyes, it also encourages individuals to keep their eyes healthy and get their eyes checked whenever it is possible, placing emphasis on the awareness of general health through eye health. The campaign promotes booking a sight test or screening, as well as, for eye care professionals and organizations to pledge all eye exams in the month leading up to WSD.

In a report published by the IAPB Vision Atlas, 1.1 billion people experience vision loss primarily because they do not have access to eye care services, although over 90% of these cases could have been prevented. Over 90% of those with vision loss live in low- and middle income countries. 73% of the affected are over 50 years old, while 55% are women. It is estimated that the number of people with vision loss will rise from 1.1 billion to 1.7 billion people by 2050, mainly due to population growth and population ageing. The report stressed that unaddressed poor vision results in a global economic productivity loss of $411 billion per annum.

The WSD campaign aims to achieve a million eye tests pledged around the world through outreach vision camps and organizing eye screenings, surgeries and others. Key events will be livestreamed from each region and will include media coverage.