World Sight Day Explained

Holiday Name:World Sight Day
Type:International
Official Name:World Sight Day
Nickname:WSD
Duration:1 day
Date:Second Thursday of October every year
Observances:Focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment

World Sight Day, observed annually on the second Thursday of October, is a global event meant to draw attention to blindness and vision impairment. It was originally initiated by the SightFirstCampaign of Lions Club International Foundation in 2000.

It has since been integrated into VISION 2020 and is coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) in cooperation with the World Health Organization.

The theme for World Sight Day 2014[1] —held on October 9, 2014—was "No more Avoidable Blindness".

It took place on the second Thursday in October 2014.[2]

World Sight Day, 2000–present

The following table shows the themes (or "calls to action") of each World Sight Day since 2000.[3]

Year Theme
2000no theme
2001no theme
2002no theme
2003no theme
2004no theme
2005The Right to Sight
2006Low Vision
2007Vision for Children
2008Fighting Vision Impairment in Later Life
2009Gender and Eye Health
2010Countdown to 2020
2011no theme
2012no theme
2013Universal Eye Health
2014No more Avoidable Blindness
2015Eye care for all
2016Stronger Together
2017Make Vision Count
2018Eye Care Everywhere
2019Vision First
2020Hope In Sight
2021Love Your Eyes
2023Eye Care in the Workplace

Notes and References

  1. Web site: IAPB Website, September 2014. 2014-09-30. 2017-02-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20170210022916/http://www.iapb.org/wsd14. dead.
  2. Web site: World Sight Day.
  3. Web site: World Sight Day Themes. 2014-09-30. 2016-11-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20161119141714/http://www.iapb.org/advocacy/world-sight-day/archive. dead.