PAHO commemorates World Sight Day and urges greater investment in eye health through primary health care – PAHO/WHO

Washington DC, October 9, 2025 (PAHO/WHO) – This year, on World Sight Day 2025, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has joined the World Health Organization (WHO) to call for accelerated action to improve access to cataract surgery and strengthen eye health through primary health care.

This year’s global theme focuses on cataracts and coincides with new data, published by WHO, on effective coverage of cataract surgery (eCSC), as well as technical tools designed to help Member States achieve the global goal of cataract care by 2030. Together, these efforts aim to eliminate avoidable blindness and ensure that no one is left behind.

Cataracts, which cause cloudy or blurred vision, remain a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment worldwide. Most cases can be treated with safe and cost-effective surgery, which can restore sight, independence and productivity.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, almost 78 million people live with vision loss. This includes 3.7 million blind people and approximately 24.5 million people with moderate to severe disabilities. Together, uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts account for more than half of vision loss among older adults.

«At the current pace, universal access to glasses and cataract surgery will not be achieved until the end of the century. And that is simply unacceptable,» said PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa during the United Nations Friends of Vision side event at the United Nations General Assembly in September. “The Region of the Americas cannot stand by while millions of people are left behind due to unmet needs for eye and vision care.”

WHO’s new estimates of effective cataract surgery coverage (eCSC) go beyond counting how many people receive treatment: they measure how many regain good vision after surgery. This change underscores that true progress means ensuring everyone receives high-quality, sight-restoring care, not simply more procedures. The new Summary of Recommendations for Quality of Care in the Management of Cataract Surgery offers practical guidance to help countries strengthen service delivery and monitoring.

These resources support the implementation of SPECS 2030, WHO’s global initiative to expand access to eye services through five pillars: services, staffing, education, costs and surveillance. In the Americas, PAHO is working with Member States to translate this framework into action, integrating eye health into primary health care, training providers, and improving data systems for equitable, evidence-based decision making.

The upcoming regional launch of SPECS 2030 will provide a roadmap for countries to strengthen policies, build workforce capacity, promote public awareness and improve monitoring systems to close persistent inequalities in vision care.

Through initiatives such as SPECS 2030 and regional programs to eliminate trachoma, PAHO continues to support countries to address infectious and non-communicable causes of vision loss, promoting equitable access to quality eye care throughout the Region.