Mr. Speaker, World Sight Day is October 11. This year's theme is “The state of our vision, at home and abroad”.
Ninety per cent of the 161 million people worldwide who have visual impairments live in developing countries and almost 65% are over 50 years of age.
Economically, the toll is staggering. In Canada, costs associated with vision loss are estimated at nearly $16 billion per year. Yet, it does not have to be this way. Three-quarters of these cases can be avoided through treatment and prevention.
In 2003, Canada voted in support of the right to sight resolution at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. The resolution engages all governments to join the right against avoidable blindness by implementing VISION 2020 national plans.
I invite all parliamentarians to learn how we can help prevent blindness here and abroad by joining me and the chair of VISION 2020 Canada today from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Centre Block, Room 256 South.