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WHO forum addresses solutions for avoidable vision loss in elderly
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Vision impairment was identified as a significant burden for older adults in a World Health Organization report on the needs in developing communities.
The report resulted from a forum held by the World Health Organization (WHO) at which 170 experts from 21 countries presented evidence of the aging phenomenon along with the latest social and technological innovations.
The organization explained in a press release that much of the disability is preventable or treatable, however screening services in developing and rural communities are widely unavailable.
“Avoidable vision loss can lead to increased mortality and morbidity; job loss; diminished quality of life through reduced independence, mobility and confidence; social isolation; and mental health decline,” Prof. Brien Holden, from the University of New South Wales and CEO of Brien Holden Vision Institute and Vision CRC, said in the release.
“There is a human resource and infrastructure deficit in many developing communities, which means people don’t have access to an eye examination or other diagnoses and treatment such as spectacles and surgery,” he said.
To read the full WHO report click here.