World Sight Day is an initiative organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) since 1998, and is celebrated on the second Thursday of October, this year it was October 13th.
With the help of the Portuguese Society of Ophthalmology (SPO), celebrating this day is an opportunity to draw attention and raise awareness among the population about the importance of preventing visual problems. Vision is one of the most important senses, being responsible for 85% of the information processed in the brain. Eye problems affect people at different ages and can be caused by numerous reasons, from genetic causes to habits and lifestyle. The main eye diseases are:
- Cataracts;
- Glaucoma;
- Conjunctivitis;
- Diabetic retinopathy;
- Age-related macular degeneration;
- Refractive errors, such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and tired eyes.
Currently 285 million people suffer from moderate or severe visual impairment, and:
- Around 40 million people are blind;
- 90% of these people live in developing countries;
- 65% of these people are over 50 years old;
- Every 5 seconds a person goes blind in the world;
- 80% of visual impairment is preventable and can be prevented or treated.
Most eye diseases can be prevented by:
- Pay attention to the excessive use of electronic devices;
- Do not put dirty hands in contact with your eyes;
- Avoid harmful habits;
- Consult your ophthalmologist regularly.