Today’s topic is blindness, did you know that the main cause of blindness is cataracts, generally affecting older adults and those living in areas where surgery isn’t easily available.
Other important causes include diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. The exact leading cause can vary by age and country, but globally cataract is the biggest single cause of blindness because it is common, strongly linked to ageing, and often left untreated where access to eye care is limited.
Worldwide, about 0.5% of the population is blind, which is something like 43 million people, based on major global estimates for distance-vision blindness this works out to be around one in 200 people.
Some people are born blind, but this is very rare with only between 0.03% to 0.05% of children born being blind, this is roughly 3 to 5 in every 10,000 births.
Blind people do not all see the same thing. Some see nothing at all, while many others still have some vision. They may be able to see light and dark, shapes or shadows, movement, blurred colours, or only small areas of vision. Very few blind people see complete blackness all the time. For many people, blindness means partial vision loss rather than total loss of sight, and what they can see depends on how much vision they have left and what caused the blindness.
Blindness is generally considered a disability because it can significantly affect everyday activities such as reading, recognising faces, travelling safely, and completing daily tasks, although the exact legal definition can vary depending on the country and the level of vision loss.
Jo-AnneRamplings 
I have AMD, but I’m blessed that I can still see to drive in daylight. I no longer read books, even large print ones. It’s too much of a struggle. Screens are easier to read because they are back lit. I’m very grateful that an injection in one eye every 8 weeks helps preserve the vision.
It is amazing what they can do to help preserve vison now days
I don’t know if this is some new trend, but I’m hearing about many who need cataract procedure are opting not to get it because they think it is not necessary or they concentrate on the risks. That’s just crazy to me! There are always risks in life – just walking outside our door and to go blind when you could have fixed it, I don’t get it. I had the procedure 6 years ago. Its not even surgery. You’re in and out within 10 minutes and they do one eye at a time. They do sedate you but there’s no blood. I don’t understand the fear.
Yeah having cataracts removed now days doesn’t take long my dad had his removed from both eyes and it didn’t take long and wasn’t painful
It would be terribly sad to be blind–not to be able to read, write, see the beauty of nature or my loved ones . . .
Yeah I feel the same way
It would be so challenging to be blind – thank you for the reminder to look more closely at the view out my window! xox
You’re welcome, it’s something most of us don’t think about