A loss of vision is no longer an inevitable part of the ageing process, the International Federation of Ageing (IFA) has claimed.

It has just published a new report, The High Cost of Low Vision, which emphasises that people can now grow older with strong vision, thanks in part to advances in medicine, technology and nutrition.

However, the report also points out that more awareness of this issue is needed and the number of people with vision problems will rise significantly if preventative measures are not put in place.

Currently, around 285 million people worldwide are visually impaired, including 39 million people who are classified as completely blind.

The report calls for more public education programmes, better public policies and more integration of preventative eye health interventions into public health services.

"The economic implications are huge as we now have it in our grasp to delink vision loss from ageing, which will have great impact on active, productive and more enjoyable ageing. This shift in the traditional perception of ageing is truly transformative," insisted IFA secretary general, Jane Barratt.

Commenting on the report, Siobhan Kelly, CEO of the Irish College of Ophthalmologists (ICO), said that it ‘acts as a timely reminder that action is needed to drive awareness among the public and healthcare policy makers of solutions for preventable vision loss, which will ultimately serve to have positive social and economic consequences'.

A 2011 report by the National Council of the Blind estimated that there were almost 225,000 people with visual impairment in Ireland in 2010. This figure was projected to rise to almost 272,000 by 2020 - an increase of 21%.

In financial terms, visual impairment cost the State €386 million in 2010. This was projected to rise to €449 million by 2020.

"This report reinforces the positive message to the public that over half of the causes of sight loss are preventable with early diagnosis and treatment. With our ageing population, it is imperative that investment is made in preventative eye healthcare if we are to avoid an unnecessary over burdening and future dependency on our healthcare services," Ms Kelly said.

Meanwhile, also commenting on the report, eye surgeon and ICO president, Ms Patricia Logan, pointed out that eye doctors and policy makers have ‘an ethical responsibility to provide patients with the best health service based on the latest medical advancements and care'.

"It makes absolute long-term economic and social wellbeing sense to put resources and investment in place to ensure we don't reach epidemic eye health problems in the future that could have been avoided," she added.

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