Visual defects are one of the most common causes of disability in the world.
In the UK just over one million people are blind or partially sighted. Worldwide there are over 40 million blind people. There are as many as five to six million people in the UK who would benefit from using an appropriate hearing aid but fewer than two million people have them. 40,000 homes are sold each year in the UK to pay for nursing and residential home fees. More than 4 million disabled people use equipment services.