VISION 2020

The right to sight

Kannan R
Roll No. 160
Introduction
• ‘Vision 2020: The Right to Sight’, is a global
initiative launched by WHO in Geneva on Feb.
18,1999 in a broad coalition with a ‘Task Force of
International Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs)’ to combat the gigantic problem of blindness
in the world.
Objectives
• Objective of this new global initiative is to eliminate
avoidable blindness by the year 2020 and to reduce
the global burden of blindness which currently affects
an estimated 45 million people worldwide.
 Implementation of vision 2020

• Vision 2020 will be implemented through four phases

of five year plans, the first one started in 2000 and
second in 2005. The two subsequent phases of
implementation will commence from 2010 and 2015,
respectively.
 Strategic approaches of Vision 2020

• Disease prevention and control,

• Training of eye health personnel,
• Strengthening of existing eye care infrastructure,
• Use of appropriate and affordable technology,
• Mobilization of resources.
 Disease prevention and control

• Globally, WHO has identified five major blinding eye

conditions, for immediate attention to achieve the goals of
Vision 2020, which are:
o Cataract
o Childhood blindness,
o Trachoma,
o Refractive errors and low vision, and
o Onchocerciasis.
 STRATEGIC PLAN FOR VISION 2020

• A. Strengthening advocacy
• B. Reduction of disease burden
• C. Human resource development, and
• D. Eye care infrastructure development