Sightsavers refractive error strategy: tackling the world’s biggest cause of visual impairment

Good vision is critical for many aspects of life, including health, education, economic productivity and broader sustainable social development.

Yet today, many people, families and communities continue to suffer from the consequences of poor access to high-quality, affordable eye care, resulting in visual impairment and blindness. Unaddressed refractive error (URE) is the most common cause of visual impairment, contributing to 41% of moderate and severe visual impairment (MSVI) and 6.6% of blindness.

This new strategy, building on achievements to date, aims to accelerate access to, and use of, equitable and inclusive refractive services by strengthening health and education systems, leading to long-term sustainable socio-economic impact for individuals, communities and societies. Publication date: May 2021

• Read the refractive error strategy in English (pdf)
• Read the refractive error strategy in French (pdf)
• Read the four-page summary (pdf) (updated in February 2023)