Children’s eye health will be a focus for World Sight Day 2024

World Sight Day 2024, taking place on 10 October, will focus on the importance of prioritising children’s eye health.

The awareness day, coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), will encourage children to take care of their eyes through the messages of the Love Your Eyes campaign.

IAPB has developed a number of activities to support involvement in World Sight Day, including asking schools and organisations to participate in the Global Screening challenge to screen the vision of children.

Parents and carers will be encouraged to make a #LoveYourEyes pledge on behalf of a child.

The organisation suggests the activities will help to raise awareness of the 450 million children globally who have a sight condition that requires treatment.

Peter Holland, CEO of IAPB, commented: “We all know that in children an uncorrected vision impairment can severely impact their education. Research tells us that children with access to, and being prescribed spectacles can reduce failing rates by 44%.”

Holland explained that it was this knowledge that has led IAPB to make children’s eye health the focus of the 2024 awareness campaign.

Caroline Casey, president of IAPB, highlighted the value of ‘creating noise,’ sharing: “I am calling on everyone to work to ensure that children around the world have access to clear, healthy vision.”

“We invite you to take ownership of the Love Your Eyes campaign, use our resources to be bold, have fun and create moments that cannot be overlooked,” she said.

World Sight Day is supported by IAPB’s Love Your Eyes global partners including AbbVie, Amgen, Bayer, CBM, CooperVision, Johnson & Johnson, National Vision, Roche, Safilo, Seva Foundation, and Sightsavers.