Less than a third of people who need glasses in Africa have access to them, while only an estimated 24% receive effective cataract treatment.

Poor vision can affect children’s ability to learn, adults’ ability to earn a living and older people’s ability to retain their independence.

This is according to World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director for Africa Dr Mohamed Janabi, who is calling on governments and other stakeholders to accelerate efforts to bring affordable, quality eye care within everyone’s reach.

Speaking ahead of World Sight Day on October 8, Dr Janabi said integrating eye health into primary healthcare could help detect vision problems early and ensure effective treatment.

“Countries also need reliable data to identify underserved populations, improve services and measure whether treatment is restoring people’s sight,” he said.

South Africa is one of nine participating African countries taking steps to address the eye-care shortfall in line with the WHO’s SPECS 2030 initiative.

SPECS 2030 aims to improve services, strengthen the eye-health workforce, increase public awareness and reduce costs.

By 2030, the global target is to achieve a 40% increase in effective coverage of refractive error services and a 30% increase in effective cataract surgery coverage.

“A pair of spectacles or timely cataract surgery can change the course of a person’s life,” said Dr Janabi.

“Together, we can ensure that preventable vision loss no longer limits the education, livelihoods and independence of people across Africa.”

Locally, some private-sector initiatives also aim to make eye care more accessible.

Spec-Savers’ Kids Right to Good Sight programme offers qualifying children, aged six to 12, free eye tests and spectacles at participating stores.