The World Health Organisation (WHO) released preliminary data for the global prevalence of blindness and visual impairment, shortly before World Sight Day.

According to the new preliminary estimates, visual impairment has reduced from 314 million people in 2004, to 285.3 million today. Of these, an estimated 39.8 million people worldwide are blind, the rest are partially sighted. For full view the World Sight Day 2010 Press Release from the link below.

The South African National Council for the Blind is proud to be part of the WHO's Vision 2020 programme that is responsible for the decline in persons who are needlessly blind.