Primer about poverty and blindness Approximately 45 milliion people around the globe are visually impaired and

about 87% of these are from developing countries. Poverty and blindness are believed to be intimately linked, with poverty predisposing to blindness, and blindness exacerbating poverty by limiting employment opportunities, or by incurring treatment cost (Kuper et al., 2010). Why are the poor more vulnerable to blindness? 1. 2. 3. 4. They don't have access to health care services They don't have resources to pay for expensive eye care services They are more susceptible to eye infections and diseases There is lack of awareness on proper eye health care

However not only poverty a cause of blindness but it can also be the other way around- that blindness is a cause for poverty! Economic Burden of Blindness

90% visually impaired people are unemployed Negative social stigma are placed on them thus isolating them from society According to Wagner-Lampl and Oliver (1997), blindness causes people especially in the developing countries to lose social standing and decision-making authority while 80% of the women reports a loss of authority within their household The blind and their caretakers (especially if its a family member) have reduced productivity and earning potential $8 B a year is loss in economic productivity in US alone because of blindness while the global annual loss in gross domestic product estimates to $19,223 M and $22,764 M in the year 2000 (Gilbert et al, 2008).

It is known that as a disability, blindness often leads to unemployment, which in turn leads to loss of income, higher levels of poverty and hunger and low standards of living. This then results in limited accessibility and affordability of health-care services and deprives those affected of educational and other opportunities. All of these together lead to early mortality and loss of economic productivity of a nation as a whole. (Khanna et al, 2007) Impact of Blindness on Children and Family Members

In developing countries, the blind are usually assisted by sighted children or adults who are part of their family If the child cecomes the caretaker, that child usually is unable to go schooling hence affecting the future of the child The sighted adult who assist the blind in the famiy usually stops working thus limiting their economical capability The physical and emotional toll impacts not just the individual and family but the social and economic fabric of communities and everyones existence. Sudden blindness of one individual in a family can become the tipping point for survival when they are impoverished to begin with. (Javit et al, 1983) (Shamana et al, 1998) A call to National Intervention

Studies in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kenya, the Philippines, and Vietnam showed that there is a link between poverty and blindness Also, researches have proven that the blind whose sight have been restored has an increased economical and social standing Sources: http://www.uniteforsight.org/community-eye-health-course/module13 http://www.hollows.org.au/Page.aspx?ID=2430