October 8th marks World Sight Day, the premier annual awareness event coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) with official support from the World Health Organization (WHO). This year, the event is held under the global theme “Love Your Eyes Kids,” aiming to focus global attention on protecting the eye health of young people and providing them with comprehensive, early eye care—a fundamental prerequisite for their growth and learning.
The latest international statistical reports from the WHO indicate that at least 2.2 billion people worldwide suffer from vision impairment or blindness; of these, at least one billion suffer from vision impairment that could have been prevented or remains untreated.
In the Syrian context, these figures take on catastrophic proportions. The ophthalmology and healthcare sector suffers from a severe structural deficit due to the fact that over 45% of medical facilities are out of service and specialized personnel have been lost to emigration. Furthermore, eye diseases, dry eye syndrome, and cataracts are prevalent in informal displacement camps across northern Syria—driven by poor hygiene, malnutrition, and the absence of routine eye examinations for children. These are the figures based on available data, yet the situation in other parts of Syria—unaccounted for in these statistics—is even more alarming. The Syrian Future Movement affirms that the right to health and comprehensive medical care—foremost among them the preservation of eyesight—is a fundamental pillar of civic citizenship and human dignity. A civilized and healthy Syrian society cannot be built while its children and youth in camps and displacement areas are deprived of the basic periodic screenings that protect them from the specter of blindness or vision impairment that could hinder their futures.
The Syrian Future Movement views the deteriorating healthcare situation in Syria as a direct result of the policies of systematic destruction and the deprivation of essential services—including healthcare infrastructure—waged by the authoritarian regime against urban centers, medical facilities, and hospitals. This has rendered obtaining prescription glasses or undergoing a simple cataract surgery a massive financial burden, far exceeding the purchasing power of over 90% of Syrian families living below the poverty line.
The Syrian Future Movement believes that national responsibility compels all civil forces and local humanitarian institutions to transform this day from a mere commemorative occasion into a springboard for practical, on-the-ground action. It urgently calls for the launch of sustainable, mobile volunteer medical campaigns to visit refugee camps and remote towns, conduct free vision screenings, distribute prescription glasses, and facilitate surgeries for those in need.
The Syrian Future Movement emphasizes the necessity of integrating mandatory vision screening and health education programs into existing Syrian educational curricula and institutions. It also calls for training educational counselors to detect vision defects in children early on, thereby preventing school dropouts caused by vision problems that could be resolved through simple medical interventions.
Guided by its vision for development and progress, the Syrian Future Movement proposes a roadmap to revitalize the eye care sector:
- Establishing the “National Network for Blindness Prevention”: A national initiative bringing together medical associations, civil society organizations, and the World Health Organization to coordinate efforts and build an accurate database of eye patients in Syria.
- A strategy for localizing flexible medical technology: Supporting specialized hospitals and mobile screening units equipped with state-of-the-art remote digital diagnostic technology to reach isolated areas and bridge the critical shortage of ophthalmologists.
- Combating brain drain and supporting young talent: Providing professional fellowship pathways and fair financial and non-financial incentives for young Syrian doctors, nurses, and technicians to encourage them to stay and contribute to rebuilding the national healthcare system.
- Partnerships for subsidized medicines and supplies: Coordinating with international donor organizations to prioritize the provision of eye surgery supplies and prescription eyewear—exempt from restrictions and customs duties—as key relief and development items, ensuring they reach citizens at nominal costs or free of charge.
The Syrian Future Movement extends its deepest thanks and gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and medical humanitarian teams standing firm on the front lines of humanity and awareness across Syria—those who bring light to the eyes of Syrians despite the darkness of the current reality.
