© Sightsavers/John Healey
To achieve the UN’s global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), eye health is essential.
Why? Because good eye health has a ripple effect, improving education, economic and health outcomes.
But unless it is recognised as a vital part of the bigger health and development picture, our efforts to achieve the SDGs and universal health coverage will fail.
The change we seek is ambitious, but achievable. It requires governments, donors, decision-makers, NGOs and other partners to work together to:
Recognise the importance of eye health in achieving development goals and universal health coverage
Integrate eye health into global and national health, education and employment policies and programmes
Invest in inclusive eye health services, with particular focus on women and girls
Eye health equals opportunity, allowing children to learn and adults to earn. It equals improved wellbeing: supporting families, communities and nations to thrive. And it equals progress towards reducing poverty and inequality.
The promise of the Sustainable Development Goals is a world where no one – regardless of gender, disability, age, income or status – is left behind. Eye health equals a crucial chance to make that promise a reality.
Join our campaign and reveal what eye health equals to you by sharing on social media. View our social media toolkit
In a village in southern Malawi live Wilson, Ganizani and Alice. Their story shows how the impact of one eye operation can spread throughout an entire community, changing lives as it goes.
Read their story