Over 1.2 million Canadians are blind, deaf-blind, or partially sighted, and the number of Canadians living with vision loss (VL) is growing everyday. This has profound implications for individuals communities, the economy, and our healthcare system. The Cost of Vision Loss and Blindness in Canada, is a new report that provides an up-to-date assessment of the prevalence and cost of vision.
The growing VL crisis affects all Canadians and will continue to do so. The report outlines the financial impact vision loss has on individual, Canadian families, and our health system. This is an urgent crisis, and with the findings of this report, it is clear that a National Vision Health Plan is needed to provide access to eye exams, therapies, prevention measures and funding for ongoing research.
The Cost of Vision Loss and Blindness in Canada is a joint initiative of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB), Fighting Blindness Canada (FBC), the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO), and the Canadian Ophthalmological Society (COS).
For more information, or to read the full report, please visit stopvisionloss.ca