ArabicChineseEnglishFrenchRussianSpanish
WHO home
All WHO This site only
  WHO > Health topics > Blindness

Blindness

Blindness is the inability to see. The leading causes of chronic blindness include cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, corneal opacities, diabetic retinopathy, trachoma, and eye conditions in children (e.g. caused by vitamin A deficiency). Age-related blindness is increasing throughout the world, as is blindness due to uncontrolled diabetes. On the other hand, blindness caused by infection is decreasing, as a result of public health action. Three-quarters of all blindness can be prevented or treated.


GENERAL INFORMATION

Fact sheet: visual impairment and blindness

Q&A: What is a refractive error?

MULTIMEDIA

Ten facts about blindness

Feature: blindness avoided for millions of children

RELATED TOPICS

- Cataract
- Trachoma
- Chronic diseases
- Disabilities
- Tropical diseases
- Diabetes
- Ageing
- Nutrition disorders

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Causes of blindness and visual impairment

Refractive errors and low vision

- More about blindness and visual impairment

PUBLICATIONS

Trachoma control: a guide for programme managers [pdf 855kb]

VISION 2020: the right to sight [pdf 4.91Mb]

- More publications on blindness

STATISTICS

Data and maps


WHO PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES

Prevention of blindness and deafness (PBD)

PARTNERS

Partnerships

BLINDNESS IN WHO REGIONS

African Region
South-East Asia Region


KEY WHO INFORMATION

Director-General
Director-General and senior management

Governance of WHO
WHO Constitution, Executive Board and World Health Assembly

Media centre
News, events, fact sheets, multimedia and contacts

International travel and health
Publication on travel risks, precautions and vaccination requirements

World Health Report
Annual report on global public health and key statistics