- from Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
Too many people in our country and around the world go blind or live with impaired vision because of causes that are totally preventable. The vast majority of people who are blind or who live with some form of impaired vision could have had these conditions prevented. It is this sad truth that brings people from around the world every May to observe Healthy Vision Month, a national eye health observance devoted to promoting the vision objectives in Healthy People 2010.

As we focus on healthy vision, this year attention is drawn to the increase use of personal protective eyewear in recreational activities and hazardous situations around the home. The goal this year is to inform people about the need for children aged 7 to 14 (and all others) to prevent eye injuries by using protective eyewear when playing sports. Please help us work with parents and coaches to persuade children to use protective eyewear during sports-related activities.

The main of causes of chronic blindness include cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and eye conditions in children (e.g. caused by vitamin A deficiency). It should be noted that throughout the world age-related blindness and blindness due to uncontrolled diabetes is increasing. Most blindness caused by these conditions are totally preventable.

More than 90% of the blind and visually impaired persons live in poor and low income countries while 75% of all blindness in adults is avoidable through prevention and treatment.

The term “blindness” is often talked about with fear and horror. The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight but rather the misunderstanding and lack of information that exist on the causes of blindness accompanied by a lack of awareness on how to communicate with persons who are blind or visually impaired.

So what can be done to change this?
One of the priority actions is the raising of awareness and the changing of attitudes toward blindness. First, people must realise that blindness is preventable. Second, society needs to be made aware that blind persons are just as capable of leading independent lives as anybody else and they want to be accepted as normal human beings in our society.

How can we do this?
Firstly, we need to educate people about blindness. One of the most effective ways of doing this is encouraging inclusion of blind children in mainstream schools from an early age. This way, sighted children will learn that there is nothing extra ordinary about being blind and they will be able to look blindness without stigmatising it. There is also a need for sensitisation programme for members of society to eradicate all the myths and beliefs about blindness. Hopefully this would reduce the stigma associated with persons who use a white cane.

Secondly, the media has a key role to play in portraying blind people as positive role models by highlighting the positive things that blind people are doing on a day to day basis. Blind and visually impaired person’s achievements should be promoted.

There is also need for emotional support for those who are in close contact with blind persons such as friends, families and those who are working with blind persons. The parent of a child who has a visual impairment should be provided the relevant support so that the child could be able to access education and other social activities.

There is an urgent need for the training of the members of the blind community and as a consequence the blind community would be more equipped to educate and train sighted persons; in this way partnerships could be fostered to assist in this process.

Above all, inclusion should be encouraged so that the blind and visually impaired persons can be fully integrated into the mainstream of society and make a meaningful contribution to national development.

On this note, I wish to acknowledge the work of the Association for the Visually Impaired. These men and women provide us with a valuable service and we owe them a debt of gratitude. On Healthy Vision Month May 2008, I again ask my sisters and brothers to commit to do the things we must do now to prevent blindness and to make a better world for those with impaired vision.