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    Cataract is clouding of the lens of the eye which prevents clear vision and is responsible for 51% of world blindness, representing about 20 million people. While cataracts can be surgically removed, barriers to accessing surgery remain in many countries, making cataract the leading cause of blindness globally. Risk factors include aging, smoking, UV light exposure, diabetes, and high BMI. The treatment is surgical removal and replacement of the opaque lens with an artificial intraocular lens, but lack of access to eye care means many remain blind from cataract in remote developing areas. The WHO aims to eliminate barriers to eye care and provide guidance to address the global burden of cataract.

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    WHO _ Priority Eye Diseases

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    WHO _ Priority Eye Diseases

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    Cataract is clouding of the lens of the eye which prevents clear vision and is responsible for 51% of world blindness, representing about 20 million people. While cataracts can be surgically removed, barriers to accessing surgery remain in many countries, making cataract the leading cause of blindness globally. Risk factors include aging, smoking, UV light exposure, diabetes, and high BMI. The treatment is surgical removal and replacement of the opaque lens with an artificial intraocular lens, but lack of access to eye care means many remain blind from cataract in remote developing areas. The WHO aims to eliminate barriers to eye care and provide guidance to address the global burden of cataract.

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    66 views1 page

    WHO - Priority Eye Diseases

    Uploaded by

    Truly Graceva
    Cataract is clouding of the lens of the eye which prevents clear vision and is responsible for 51% of world blindness, representing about 20 million people. While cataracts can be surgically removed, barriers to accessing surgery remain in many countries, making cataract the leading cause of blindness globally. Risk factors include aging, smoking, UV light exposure, diabetes, and high BMI. The treatment is surgical removal and replacement of the opaque lens with an artificial intraocular lens, but lack of access to eye care means many remain blind from cataract in remote developing areas. The WHO aims to eliminate barriers to eye care and provide guidance to address the global burden of cataract.

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    19/2/2014

    WHO | Priority eye diseases

    Prevention of Blindness and Visual Impairment


    Priority eye diseases
    Cataract

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    Priority eye diseases

    Definition
    Cataract is clouding of the lens of the eye which prevents clear vision.
    Although most cases of cataract are related to the ageing process,
    occasionally children can be born with the condition, or a cataract may
    develop after eye injuries, inflammation, and some other eye diseases.
    Magnitude
    According to the latest assessment, cataract is responsible for 51% of
    world blindness, which represents about 20 million people (2010).
    Although cataracts can be surgically removed, in many countries
    barriers exist that prevent patients to access surgery. Cataract remains
    the leading cause of blindness. As people in the world live longer, the
    number of people with cataract is anticipated to grow. Cataract is also
    an important cause of low vision in both developed and developing
    countries.
    Prevention and treatment
    Reduction of cigarette smoking and ultraviolet light exposure may
    prevent or delay the development of cataract. Diabetes mellitus and high
    body mass index are identified as additional risk factors.
    The treatment of cataract is surgical and very successful in restoring
    sight. The opaque lens is removed and replaced by an artificial
    intraocular lens. In many remote parts of the developing world, people
    remain blind from cataract, due to a lack of access to eye care.

    1. Main causes of visual


    impairment
    2. Cataract
    3. Trachoma
    4. Onchocerciasis (river
    blindness)
    5. Childhood blindness
    6. Refractive errors and low
    vision
    7. Diabetic retinopathy
    8. Glaucoma
    9. Age-related macular
    degeneration
    10. Corneal opacities
    11. Genetic eye diseases

    Bilateral cataract

    Strategies for the prevention of blindness in national programmes


    Cataract Surgical Rate (CSR) in WHO Regions (maps)
    Cataract blindness challenges for the 21st century [pdf 256kb]
    International Council of Ophthalmology

    Download picture
    jpg, 30kb

    WHO role
    To advocate for the elimination of barriers to access eye care, to provide
    guidance and technical support of the development of comprehensive
    eye care systems to address the burden of cataract and other chronic
    eye diseases.

    http://www.who.int/blindness/causes/priority/en/index1.html

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