The Eye Health department manages adult and childhood cataract, low vision, rehabilitation and primary eye care projects. An estimated 20 million people in the world today are blind from cataract and five times that number are waiting for a cataract operation to restore full sight. Despite the fact that cataract can leave a person totally blind, it is easily treated and is recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the most cost-effective of all surgical procedures.
Childhood blindness is caused by a variety of conditions, including congenital cataract.
There are as many as 1.5 million blind children in the world, one million of whom live in Asia and at least 300,000 live in Africa. Low vision is an impairment to vision that significantly impairs the functioning of the patient and cannot be adequately corrected with medical or surgical procedures, therapy, conventional eyewear or contact lenses. Low vision can be corrected through the use of low vision aids, which include hand-held telescopes and large print reading materials. Helen Keller International provides technical and material support to partner institutions to increase the delivery of low vision services to visually impaired people. They often remain idle.