Awareness of the most common eye conditions is important for maintaining good eye and general health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 2 billion people in the world suffer from some visual disorder ranging from mild refractive errors to severe conditions that can lead to blindness. Awareness helps catch issues early, allowing individuals to take proactive steps and ultimately reduce the risk of blindness. Approximately 90% of vision impairment can be prevented or treated.

This fact sheet is part of our Ophthalmology and Optometry Information Guide series, developed to help people understand eye conditions and their impact on navigating the built environment.