World Sight Day – 8th October 2020
This year, World Sight Day is celebrated on October 8th, 2020. Generally, it is celebrated on Thursday that comes in the second week of October. The vision of the eyes is most important to any living thing on Earth. Without eyes, we cannot see the world and is regarded as the greatest gift from God. However, not all of us are taking good care of our eyes.
To create awareness about eye care, spread publicity on vision blindness and treatments involved in curing eye impairments, the IAPB or International Agency for prevention of Blindness organizes many special events on this day. IAPB is the main co-coordinator of events on World Sight Day and offers the freedom to individual organizations to set up celebrations and activities for themselves.
In this article, we shall read many aspects of World Sight Day 2020 concerning its history, significance, themes and celebrations. We shall also address a couple of related FAQs towards the end of our article.
World Sight Day 2020 – History
The IAPB is an international organization and has made many achievements in its journey so far. One of the milestones they have set for themselves is “VISION 2020”. It helps create widespread publicity on preventing Blindness by offering useful resources and propaganda content. Other organizations who are suitably concerned with eye disorders can openly reach the organization and take inspiration from them.
The year 1990 saw a spurt in need to spread awareness on eye care and eye-related problems. Hence, the Lions Club International Foundation or LCIF took measures and started a campaign in the name “SightFirst”. The name itself suggests the intensity with which LCIF initiated its events to avoid a section of Blindness that could be prevented with some amount of care and concern. They took up the next batch of work towards eyesight donation awareness and sight restoration through corrective surgeries and medical procedures.
Mostly, the LCIF aimed in the initial years for developmentally oriented programs. They reached out to problems that could avert a possible future blindness condition in people. The leading hand out in this regard was to tell people about the possible reasons for Blindness.
Hospitals that needed aid to provide cost-effective treatments to needy patients were offered help too. Medication kits were distributed amongst the needy; particular concerns were taken for high-risk eye conditions.
The LCIF was an institution that in turn called out to other helping hands to assist them in their charitable outreach. Local NGOs, healthcare centres, primary health units, multispecialty hospitals etc. were contacted and asked to tie up with LCIF in collaboration to take their efforts a step ahead. Till now, more than 30 million people across the world have benefited from their continued efforts.
Importance of World Sight Day 2020
The colourful world around us would remain a pale something without the gift of eyesight. Nature has provided the vision to all living creatures to see, observe, analyze with our keen eyes. World Sight Day is an essential day in terms of advocating policies towards better health of our eyes.
For promoting better principles and healthcare policies exclusively for eyesight, communication is vital. When people realize the need to enhance their hygiene and apply the same to eye care, a lot of infections could be kept at bay.
Age-related eye complications are common in most human beings and other animals. So preventive measures and right diagnosis are essential. Some of the common issues with the older generation include myopia, diabetes-induced problems like retinotherapy.
Every age has explicitly its own set of eye problems and issues, which if not addressed, could worsen eye conditions and lead to permanent eye loss. This includes cataract diseases, errors due to refractive problems, glaucoma etc. The best medical advice for maintaining good health of the eyes is to go in for a regular eye check-up at specialist enters.
Eye issues could be familiar with young ones, schoolchildren who may be easily susceptible to invite infections, the aged population. Doctors press the button on older people, especially those who have diabetes. They have a higher risk of losing eyesight if their sugar levels go uncontrolled. It could lead to permanent damage to their vision too! For all these complications and more, awareness is necessary and need of the hour.
World Sight Day 2020 Themes
Let us now go through some past-year themes that will highlight the importance of efforts taken up by IAPB. Here are few:
- 2005 was the year that first started with a theme on the event of World Sight Day. It read “The Right to Sight” to signify the importance of eyesight for all living creatures.
- In 2017, the theme was “Make Vision Count”.
- In 2018, eyecare outreach was bigger and better; hence the theme appropriately quoted “Eyecare Everywhere”.
- In 2019, the theme was “Vision First”. These two words were powerful enough to capture the intensity with which the theme was set.
- For 2020, the vision is “Hope in Sight”. The VISION 2020 accomplishment brightens up this year, and folks around the globe are hopeful of having lived by their commitment to bring in awareness on eye health.
World Sight Day 2020 Celebration
There are many ways how World Sight Day is celebrated around the world. Here are a few highlights of events that happen at various places:
- Eye Donation pledge events mark the most critical set of events for the day. Eye doctors, ophthalmologists and specialists around the world spread messages to pledge eyes so we could colour somebody else’s world when our own is no longer into use.
- Awareness meets, and panel discussions by experts on good quality eye care are held commonly at many places.
- Eye hospitals organize free eye check-up camps. These camps would socially be focussed for the poor, needy and aged citizens.
- Online communities are encouraged to take part in active contribution through social media discussions and engagements. Webinars are conducted by eye doctors to discuss recent developments in eye care and specializations in surgeries.
Conclusion
The world needs to step its eye care facilities and make them more affordable and easily accessible. Festivals around the world are celebrated by bursting crackers which could lead to eye impairments. Some could be corrective, and others could lead to permanent eye damages.
Children should be encouraged to eat foods that nourish the eyes and provide long-lasting vision. Foods rich in Vitamin A are especially suitable for the eyes. Let us come together and provide valuable information to our near and dear ones about the need for eye care and brighten everybody’s lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When is World Sight Day?
This year, World Sight Day is celebrated on October 8th, 2020. Generally, it is celebrated on Thursday that falls in the second week of October.
2. What is World Sight Day?
World Sight Day is a global initiative taken up by IAPB or International Agency for Prevention of Blindness. It is a day to spread awareness on the importance of eye care, health of eyes, Blindness –causes, preventive measures and treatments to delay the onset of Blindness in individuals. The day also helps volunteers and charitable organizations to hold various campaigns and eye camps to spread common knowledge on the importance of eyesight and vision.
3. Who started World Sight Day celebrations?
The Lions Club International Foundation began worldwide celebrations for World Sight Day in the year 1990.
Leave a Reply