2.2 billion people worldwide suffer from visual impairment. [iStockphoto]
Eye health is often ignored in daily life, yet specialists warn that many cases of vision loss are preventable when detected and managed early. Conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and refractive errors continue to affect millions globally, often progressing silently until damage becomes severe.
The World Health Organisation estimates that at least 2.2 billion people globally live with vision impairment or blindness, with more than one billion cases either preventable or still unaddressed.
In Kenya, eye health professionals say many people only seek care when symptoms have already advanced, making treatment more difficult and sometimes irreversible.
Experts say a major challenge is not only access to care, but also everyday behaviour, especially self-medication and delayed diagnosis.
