International Cataract Program
CATARACT ELIMINATION AND PREVENTION
Cataract is the clouding of the lens of the eye. It accounts for more than 50% of all blindness, despite the known technology that can restore vision at an extremely low cost.
- 36 million people in the world suffer from blindness
- 80% of that blindness is preventable
- 90% of the world’s blind live in developing countries
- 50% of avoidable blindness is caused by cataracts
Loss of sight causes enormous human suffering for the affected individual, their family and community. Those who are blind frequently experience poverty due to loss of household income, as do the families they were formerly able to support. Low- and middle-income countries lose millions in GDP every year due to the issue of blindness. It represents a public health, social and economic problem.
Eliminating blindness due to cataracts not only improves a person’s health, but also provides greater opportunity for work and education. These opportunities help break the cycle of poverty, allowing an individual to both provide for their family and contribute to their community’s economy.
Learn more about our International Cataract Program by hovering over the photos below.
Hover over the image to see a visualization of what someone might see before and after cataract surgery.