Report: Connecting healthy ageing and vision

Today, an estimated 73 percent of people living with avoidable vision impairment are older people – amounting to 800 million people globally.

As the world’s population ages, this figure will rise to 927 million by 2050 unless urgent action is taken. 
 
A new report released on World Sight Day by The Fred Hollows Foundation and the International Federation of Ageing (IFA), calls for close collaboration between the eye health and ageing sectors to protect and restore vision in older age. 

The report Connecting Healthy Ageing and Vision presents vision as instrumental to advancing healthy ageing by pinpointing the wide-ranging impacts of vision loss on individuals and society at large. 

The policy brief provides an overview of the eye health of older people today, and proposes key actions needed within and beyond the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) to ensure that older people’s eye health and quality of life are preserved.

Dr Vânia de la Fuente-Núñez, Healthy Ageing Senior Advisor at The Fred Hollows Foundation said vision loss affects the physical and mental health of older people and their ability to function in the community.

“Losing sight means facing an increased risk of mortality, cognitive decline, and depression, and, where environments are not accessible, often means losing your independence, confining many older people to their home, and increasing social isolation and loneliness in later life.

“Older women are also disproportionately affected, accounting for 56 percent of vision loss cases,” Dr de la Fuente-Núñez said.

International Federation on Ageing Director of Policy and Advocacy Katrina Bouzanis said the consequences of vision impairment among older people reached far beyond the individual.

“Caregivers often struggle to balance their needs with those of an older family member with vision loss, losing opportunities to earn a living, which can result in productivity losses and cause financial hardship to families.” 

While many eye conditions become more common as people age, Dr de la Fuente-Núñez said blindness was not an inevitable part of ageing.

“Every person should have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. Making this a reality requires recognizing vision as a key part of overall health in the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing and prioritising healthy ageing from research through to policy and practice.”

“By acting now, we can put an end to avoidable vision loss in later life and ensure that more older people are able to live independent lives and continue to contribute to local communities,” Dr de la Fuente-Núñez said.

Click here to download the full report.

Click here to download the executive summary.