In July the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted Resolution A/75/L.108, committing the international community to eye care for the 1.1 billion people living with preventable sight loss by 2030.
Sight loss is calculated to cost the global economy $411bn in productivity each year.
The resolution is the first agreement designed to tackle preventable sight loss to be adopted by the United Nations and enshrines eye health as part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
It was passed unanimously by all 193 countries of the United Nations, and sets a target for vision for everyone by 2030, with countries set to ensure full access to eye care services for their populations, and to make eye health part of their nation’s journey to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The plan will mean that by 2030, the 1.1 billion people globally living with sight loss, will have access to support and treatment.
Commenting on the adoption of the Resolution, James Chen, Founder of Clearly and Chairman of the Chen Yet-Sen Family Foundation, said:
“Preventable sight loss is still the largest unmet disability in the world; impacting everything from poverty to productivity, illiteracy to equality, and much more. This UN resolution recognises eye-health as a critical preliminary step to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
“We still have much to achieve in order to make good on the promise of this resolution, but to have it unanimously approved and recognised by all 193 countries of the United Nations is an incredible start to this next journey.”
Seven Hills has been supporting James Chen’s work in vision correction for the past six years, and secured coverage of this landmark resolution in The Independent, The Mail and Professional Wealth Management.