By Our Reporter
A simple eye test and corrective glasses could increase a Tanzanian child’s lifetime earnings by 124 percent if a vision problem is identified at age five and corrected through age 18, according to new findings released by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).
The finding places Tanzania among 23 countries where early correction of childhood vision problems could potentially more than double lifetime earnings, the IAPB said in a press release issued on Friday.
The estimate links a basic health intervention to a much broader economic outcome: the ability of children to see clearly, remain engaged in school and accumulate the education and skills that influence their future earnings.
In Tanzania, uncorrected refractive error is the leading cause of vision impairment among children and is associated with 27,178 years of lost schooling annually, according to the IAPB.
The organisation is urging parents and caregivers who can afford it to have their children's eyes tested before they start or return to school.
The call comes as children prepare for the new school term and as the IAPB launches its Love Your Eyes Back-to-School campaign, which includes materials for school assemblies, classroom activities and resources for children to share with parents and caregivers.
IAPB chief executive Peter Holland said early eye care could be an important investment in a child's future, while acknowledging that some families cannot afford eye examinations and glasses.
The organisation is therefore also calling on governments to ensure children have access to sight tests and corrective glasses.
“Every child deserves to see clearly when they start school or return for the new school term,” Mr Holland said.
The economic argument for early intervention is significant because vision problems can affect learning without necessarily being recognised as a health issue.
Sightsavers technical director for inclusive health Sumrana Yasmin said investment in child eye care could help children to learn and develop while reducing avoidable vision loss.
CharityVision International programmes director Anadine Marshall said poor eyesight could sometimes be mistaken for poor academic performance.
“A child who can’t see the board can easily be mistaken for a child who isn’t learning,” she said.
The IAPB's findings come ahead of the first Global Summit for Eye Health, scheduled for November 2 in Antigua and Barbuda, where heads of state and partners are expected to make commitments aimed at improving access to eye care services.
The IAPB, an alliance of more than 250 organisations in over 100 countries, is advocating universal access to eye care as part of efforts to reduce avoidable vision impairment and its wider social and economic effects.