World Sight Day 2019: Date and Significance of the Day Dedicated to Preventing Blindness

World Sight Day is observed on the second Thursday of every October. The day is celebrated to aim global focus on blindness and vision impairment. It was initiated by the Sight First Campaign of Lions Club International Foundation in 2000. It has now been integrated into VISION 2020 and is being coordinated by IAPB in cooperation with the World Health Organization. The day is celebrated by themes but had no theme in the initial years. The first World Sight Day was celebrated on October 12 in 2000 with no theme. The first theme for WSD was “The Right to Sight” in the year 2005. World Retina Day 2019 Date and Significance: Everything About the Day and the Week-Long Observance.

World Sight Day is observed to make people understand the severity of blindness and vision impairment. The day aims to educate more and more people every year to eradicate blindness. World Sight Day 2018: 5 Apps To Relieve Eye Strain if You Are Addicted to Your Cell Phone.

Date

World Sight Day is observed on the second Thursday of October every year. In 2019, WSD will be celebrated on October 10.

Significance

There are millions of people who are blind for reasons that are preventable and avoidable. The day is trying to eradicate avoidable blindness and raise awareness in people about this. About 36 million people are blind and 217 million people live with moderate or severe distance vision impairment. In 2010, about 28 percent of the population was affected by myopia (short-sightedness). This number is predicted to rise to 50 percent by the year 2050. Myopia affects a person from childhood. It can be corrected with concave lens but it can also be completely avoided. Increased outdoor activities have proven to protect against this. The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness recommends outdoor activities for young children instead of letting them play with gadgets indoor, all day. The theme of 2019 is "Call to Action".

About 75 percent of adults wear glasses and this number is going up. The goal is to eradicate and cure blindness that can be prevented or cured. The day tries to educate people and make them help people around them.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2019 01:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).