Global economy loses $450 billion annually due to lack of eye health care
New report shows enormous potential for global economy if governments invest more in eye health
Erlangen, October 2025 – The new report “Value of Vision”, published by IAPB (The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness), Seva Foundation and Fred Hollows Foundation, and supported by EinDollarBrille Germany (GoodVision), to coincide with the United Nations General Assembly in New York at the end of September. It shows that delivering on six priority eye health areas will see a $28 return for every $1 invested. This places eye health alongside nutrition as one of the most powerful and cost-effective opportunities to boost global development, especially for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
The report was unveiled during the United Nations General Assembly at a high-level meeting hosted by IAPB and The United Nations Friends of Vision Group, bringing together global leaders across Member States, civil society and NGOs to discuss the critical role of preventing sight loss in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The report lays out six priority areas for governments to prevent sight loss: early detection through vision screenings in the community, giving out reading glasses on the spot where needed, increasing capacity in the eye health workforce, boost surgical productivity and teams, removing barriers to accessing eye health like cost, distance and stigma, and making cataract surgery even better with innovative training techniques, wider use of biometry and stronger minimum post-op care standards.
A $7.1 billion investment in these priorities would recoup $199 billion by 2030. If countries build on this foundation beyond 2030, fully eliminating vision impairment would unlock $447 billion every year. The transformative impact would generate annual benefits equivalent to 13 million extra years of schooling, 22 million more people employed, 1.2 million fewer injuries from crashes on roads, 304 million people relieved of unpaid caregiving, 320,000 extra years of life lived, and 12 million fewer people living with depression.
Antje Christ, Regional Coordinator Asia, EinDollarBrille Germany (GoodVision):
“Behind every pair of uncorrected eyes in India is a story of lost potential - a child who struggles to learn, a worker who can’t perform at their best, a family losing income. Clear vision is one of the simplest and most powerful tools to lift people out of poverty. The "Value of Vision Study" provides the crucial evidence to support what we at GoodVision International witness every day in all our program countries: access to basic eye care is not only a matter of health, but of opportunity, dignity, and sustainable development. By quantifying the economic and social impact of clear sight, this study reinforces our global mission to ensure that no one’s potential is limited by poor vision.”
Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda:
“Five years ago, this General Assembly achieved the adoption of the “Vision for Everyone” resolution, a landmark agreement that committed us all, as leaders, to ensuring eye care reaches those who need it most. But five years on, not enough progress has been made. [...] For small states like Antigua and Barbuda, the potential return on investment is clear. Investing in eye health is a smart economic strategy. It is a way to unlock jobs, productivity, growth and prosperity for all.”
Peter Holland, CEO of IAPB:
“Vision loss is a truly universal problem but has often been sidelined in global development discussions. It impacts nearly every part of our lives and, as this research shows, comes at a tangible price not just for individuals, but for families, communities and economies. Ahead of the Global Eye Health Summit next year, we must work together across sectors to integrate eye care into national health, social and economic systems and make it accessible and affordable for all.”
Jack Hennessy, Senior Health Economist, The Fred Hollows Foundation:
“Eye health interventions consistently rank among the most cost-effective in the world. These aren’t treatments and solutions that we’re searching for - they’re here right in front of us. Our research provides a roadmap of low-cost, actionable interventions for Governments and donors to invest in over the next five years to realise the enormous health, social, and economic benefits to restoring sight.”
Nearly 1 billion people in LMICs live with avoidable sight loss. The crisis is only set to worsen with ageing populations and increasing reliance on screens, and the personal consequences of sight loss are devastating: unemployment, lower educational attainment, mental ill health, social isolation, and increased risk of injury and illness.
The Summit within the scope of the United Nations General Assembly was the first of its kind, bringing together governments, multilaterals, civil society, and the private sector to provide a global platform for countries to present their progress, agree to a unified policy and commitment framework, and mobilize new financial and political commitment to ensure eye health is fully integrated into health and development strategies worldwide.
Service for editorial offices:
You can download the full report here:
For further information, please visit GoodVision Germany or www.GoodVision.org.
Press contact:
Susanne Stocker
Public relations
E-Mail: presse@eindollarbrille.de
Phone: +49 9131 913 94 31
________
About GoodVision (EinDollarBrille e.V. 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, GoodVision (EinDollarBrille e.V. in Germany) aims to provide high-quality, affordable, robust and customized glasses worldwide. The organization was founded in 2012 by Martin Aufmuth, the inventor of the GoodVision Glasses (EinDollarBrille), 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 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.
About “The Value of Vision: The Case for Investing in Eye Health research”
The Value of Vision report analyses the benefits that would result from reaching 255 million people experiencing sight loss in the low- and middle-income countries, using globally modelled data on vision impairment prevalence, Gross National income, economic growth rates, labour force participation, school enrolment and population structures. As the different benefits of improved vision vary across the life cycle, the data also segments each country’s population across 5-year age ranges. The same model was then used to extrapolate the bigger impact of reaching the nearly 1 billion people in LMICs who are currently living with avoidable sight loss.
About IAPB
IAPB is the voice of global eye health, uniting nearly 300 eye health organisations in over 100 countries including eye health professionals, private and public eye health service providers, universities and charitable organisations. As a global alliance, IAPB members advocate to make eye care services available, accessible and affordable for all.
