Our Chidren’s Vision is a global call to action for child eye care.
IAPB is delighted to endorse “Our Children’s Vision”, an initiative co-founded by the Brien Holden Vision Institute and the Vision For Life fund (created by Essilor). Our Chidren’s Vision ensures that effective, sustainable eye health initiatives for children and adolescents are part of appropriate health programs and are integrated into regional, national and global education and health policy. The initial target is to reach 50 million children by the year 2020.
Our Chidren’s Vision plans to achieve it’s vision through partnerships, awareness, research, service support and child eye health services. The campaign has already garnered the support of 34 organisations, all united behind the long-term goal of universal access to eye care for children everywhere.
Our Children’s Vision are looking for partners to join them in the following activities:
get eye care services to children in areas of need,
raise awareness of the importance of eye health services for children,
educate communities, parents and children about healthy eyes,
lobby governments to include child eye health in health plans and policy, and
mobilise funds.
A study recently published states that half the world will be short-sighted by 2050 with up to one-fifth of them (1 billion) at a significantly increased risk of blindness if current trends continue.
“We are potentially facing the biggest public health challenge of our generation,” said Professor Kovin Naidoo, CEO, Brien Holden Vision Institute and Campaign Director for Our Children’s Vision. “This trend can be slowed down through preventative or corrective care, but only if a child is reached while their eyes are still developing. An effective eye health program in schools would have an unprecedented impact. Our Children’s Vision is a global campaign designed to make this impact a reality.”
