·     The #LoveYourEyes campaign for World Sight Day (14th October) has been encouraging people to book a sight test.

·     This follows evidence that the pandemic is putting global eye health at risk: The number of children developing short-sightedness doubled under lockdown and, on current trends, half the world’s population will be short-sighted by 2050.

·     More than three million people globally have committed to sight tests, trebling the target number, as part of the campaign run by IAPB (the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness).

·     WHO is supporting the campaign, offering advice on how to #LoveYourEyes.

·     Eye tests have been carried out at landmarks around the world including The Giza Pyramid Complex, Mount Everest, Gateway to India, Santa Barbara beach, Tower Bridge, and more to raise awareness.

Global – More than three million people have pledged to have their eyes tested this World Sight Day as experts warn that coronavirus and lockdown are causing a global vision crisis. The #LoveYourEyes campaign to mark this year’s World Sight Day is coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) – the overarching alliance for the global eye health sector.

Global eye health reaches new low during the pandemic

Those involved in the #LoveYourEyes campaign say the need for people to get their sight checked is more apparent now than ever, with the pandemic and worldwide lockdowns leading to more time spent on screens, less time spent outdoors, and missed sight tests.

On a global scale, IAPB warns half the world’s population will be short-sighted – also known as myopic – by 2050. Up to one-fifth of those are at significant risk of blindness if current trends continue.[1]

A study in China found the number of kids being diagnosed with short-sightedness doubled in 2020 compared to 2019.[2]

A growing issue

Another recent study found that, in the UK, almost 3,000 people are estimated to have lost vision due to delays in the identification and treatment of eye disease, and 4.3 million fewer people received sight tests in 2020, compared to 2019.[3]

Iconic sight tests around the world

As part of the #LoveYourEyes campaign, sight tests are being carried out at some of the world’s most famous sights including Mount Everest, Tower Bridge London, Bluff Point New Zealand, Brooklyn Bridge, Mount Kilimanjaro, and more.