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U.N. General Assembly Resolution A/75/L.108, which encourages governments and key stakeholders globally to mobilize the necessary resources to address the lack of access to basic eye care services, was unanimously adopted by all 193 countries that are part of the global organization.

“An eye test for a child can be the difference between inclusion and or exclusion; a pair of prescription glasses, the difference between access to information and seeking a livelihood and not,” remarks W. Aubrey Webson, Ambassador to the United Nations. “Corrective eye treatment, the difference between improved sight and total loss of sight. The gift of sight for the 1.1 billion people living with preventable sight loss is within reach if we ensure world leaders deliver on this moment.”

Called Vision for Everyone, the resolution’s target date is 2030 for all 193 countries to ensure complete access to eye care services and support worldwide efforts to make it part of achieving their country’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To achieve this, the following action steps have been discussed, reports the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness:

• Adopting a “whole-of-government” approach to eye health and linking vision with other development priorities.
• Increasing funding for eye health, especially for developing countries, and creating an international eye health campaign.
• Promoting and including eye health in the program of work to accomplish the SDGs.
• Having the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres coordinate and follow-up on the resolution’s application and report back to the U.N. General Assembly.
• Working with national governments to accomplish the resolution.

To monitor the resolution’s progress, the U.N.’s Inter-Agency Expert Group will consider including two new targets on eye health in the global indicator framework for the SDGs in 2025, and countries will provide a progress report as part of their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) presented at the High-Level Political Forum (the main reporting mechanism for the SDGs).

Santen Pharmaceutical Co. recently joined forces with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness to work with national governments and supranational stakeholders to establish an effective monitoring system and encourage the inclusion of eye health in voluntary national reporting on the SDGs; and coordinate an advocacy and public affairs. OM