2030 In Sight: GoodVision fights internationally for fair eye health
From June 25 to 27, 2024, leading minds and NGOs from the field of eye health will come together in Mexico City to fulfill the demands of the 2030 Agenda: Making eye health accessible to all people worldwide. GoodVision plays a central role in this and emphasize the importance of healthy eyes for economic power.
Mexico City, June 25, 2024 - From June 25 to 27, 2024, leading minds, innovators and NGOs in the field of eye health will meet in Mexico City for the annual congress of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). Among the participants is a delegation from GoodVision, which occupies an important position as a member of the IAPB. The central question of the congress is: How can we still fulfill the demands of the 2030 Agenda and make eye health accessible to all people worldwide?
The importance of this task cannot be overestimated: As the world's population grows, so does the number of people suffering from visual impairment or blindness. The figures are alarming: around 1 billion people worldwide need glasses but have no access to adequate eye care. This not only leads to personal suffering and restrictions in everyday life, but also has considerable economic consequences.
Blindness and visual impairment are preventable in many cases
Studies estimate that around 80 percent of blindness could be avoided through preventative measures or timely treatment. The economic damage is enormous: every year, income losses amounting to 269 billion euros are incurred worldwide simply because people do not have access to opticians or ophthalmologists.
GoodVision with large delegation
For GoodVision (Germany) and its umbrella organization GoodVision International, this IAPB Congress is a tremendous success. Five national organizations of the GoodVision family are now represented at the IAPB and are speaking louder than ever before about the need for a global strategy to improve eye health. The strong presence from South America is remarkable: with representatives from five countries on the continent, this part of the world, long underrepresented in eye health, is given great visibility.
Lack of eye health hinders economic development
"Healthy eyes are a key to economic development," emphasizes Dr. Bruna Gil Ferreira, Head of Ophthalmology at GoodVision (Germany). "Without good vision, children cannot learn properly and adults cannot work productively. It is our duty to ensure that everyone has access to the necessary eye care services."
Ralf Toenjes, Head of Renovatio at GoodVision (Brazil), adds: "The 2030 Agenda calls on us to leave no one behind. This also means that we must ensure that all people - regardless of where they live or their financial situation - have access to eye care." Dr. Andrea Oleñik Memmel, Vitreo Retina specialist and head of GoodVision (Paraguay) adds: "Thanks to AI, we can make many medical eye examinations more efficient in order to detect and treat avoidable blindness more quickly."
Keynotes from GoodVision raise awareness of the importance of healthy eyes
At the congress, Dr. Bruna Gil and Ralf Toenjes will speak on the topics "Why healthy eyes are important for economic development" and "2030 in Sight: for our children" to underpin the discussion on these topics with their insights from their work for Renovatio in Brazil. Dr. Andrea Oleñik Memmel shares her use of AI-powered diagnostics in a presentation on how to more effectively combat preventable blindness globally.
These are important contributions to raising awareness of the importance of eye health and developing concrete measures to improve the situation.
The IAPB Congress provides a valuable platform for the exchange of ideas and best practices as well as for networking with other stakeholders in the field of eye health. GoodVision’s participation in this important event underlines its commitment to a world in which everyone has access to the eye care services they need.
The participants of the IAPB Congress are joining forces to make the vision of a world without avoidable blindness a reality. GoodVision plays a central role in this and sends a strong signal for more justice and equal opportunities in the field of eye health.
Further information on
About EinDollarBrille e.V. (GoodVision Germany)
According to a WHO study, over 950 million people worldwide suffer from correctable defective vision but do not have the means to buy conventional glasses. Against this backdrop, EinDollarBrille e.V. aims to provide high-quality, affordable, robust and customized glasses worldwide. The association was founded in 2012 by Martin Aufmuth, the inventor of the GoodVision Glasses, and is recognized by the tax office as a non-profit organization. The GoodVision Glasses can be manufactured and sold by local people. The material costs for a pair of glasses are around one US dollar. The selling price is two to three local daily wages. The training of the glasses producers and the development of the project in the target countries are financed by donations. The project is sustainable: the proceeds from the sale of the glasses help to cover salaries in the country and the materials for new glasses. The aim is to establish basic optical care for people in developing countries.
Press contact:
E-mail: presse@eindollarbrille.de
Phone: +49 9131 913 94 31
