Blindness

Around 45 million* people worldwide are blind and 90% of those people are living in developing countries. Up to 80% of all blindness is actually avoidable.

The Causes of Avoidable Blindness

Cataract is the largest cause of blindness in the world. It is estimated that 18 million people are blind because of the condition ... read more.

River Blindness (Onchocerciasis) has blinded more than half a million people and an estimated 17 million are infected. It is a parasite that is transmitted by the bite of the black fly which lives close to waterways. The parasite can live for around 15 years in the human body... read more.

Trachoma has claimed the sight of around six million people, with around 145 million more people infected and 11 million more at risk of going blind. This is an incredibly painful infection that eventually sees the bearer's eyelashes turn inwards and scrape the surface of the eye with every blink ... read more.

Vitamin A Deficiency has resulted in 1.5 million children losing their sight and it is estimated that another 500,000 will go blind every year due to an poor diet ... read more.

* estimated by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The Impact of Avoidable Blindness

90% of all blind children have no opportunity to attend school
80% of adults who are blind cannot work because of a lack of training facilities. They require extensive rehabilitation if they are to have any chance of leading a fuller life.
Much of the world's blindness could be eliminated through co-ordinated prevention programmes.
Up to 80% of all blindness is avoidable. With your help CBM can provide the solution.

Further Information

Blindness and Visual Impairment: Global Facts - Official Vision 2020 website

If you would like to find out more about CBM's Blindness work, you can visit our Projects section or order/download resources.

Scholarship

CBM UK is proud to be able to offer the Joseph Taylor Scholarship.