The European Coalition for Vision (ECV) has held its launch event in the European Parliament on 4th February 2013 which marked the Coalition's manifesto for the European Parliament elections. The manifesto, presented in an event hosted by the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Marian Harkin (ALDE, IE), and co-hosted by MEP Elisabetta Gardini (EPP, IT) and MEP Catherine Stihler (S&D, UK) calls on the European Parliament to use its significant powers to improve the lives of people affected by vision impairment or at risk of vision loss.
The final report is available HERE
Marian Harkin (ALDE, IE) “An invisible epidemic is threatening Europe.”
Both today's rise in diabetes and an ageing Europe threaten to increase the numbers of avoidably vision impaired and blind persons. There is an urgent need to address the gaps in eye health provision in Europe, and to promote the rights of the blind and partially sighted so that they can live a life of equal opportunities within a socially inclusive Europe. Evidence is on the table: the extensive review of epidemiological data made by the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Vision Loss Group made it clear that in all of Europe there are 25 million people with visual impairment. We may not forget that inadequate and inequitable services mean 8.5 million people in Western Europe live with a disabling vision problem.
The creation of a coalition is an excellent opportunity to give greater visibility to such an important public health challenge which can affect people of all ages. The main causes of blindness are well-known for the eye-health community but not for the general public: macular degeneration, cataract, uncorrected refractive error, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy. But the most important message for us is that 2/3 of visual impairment in Western Europe today is avoidable, it could be easily treated and sight restored.
Elisabetta Gardini (EPP, IT) “Today can be the first step for having a future Coalition of MEPs who are committed to bring forward the issue of vision and eye health under the new Parliament.”
May I address the importance of prevention in the early stages of life, especially in children. Many more people have eye diseases that are in the early stages – which if left untreated will cause disabling impairment. Giving an example, a specific visual impairment called Amblyopia, more commonly known as “lazy eye”, which certainly represents one of the main causes of poor vision in children. Uncorrected refractive error can mean that a child can struggle to read a white or black board, or their text books in school. Amblyopia can be remedied by correcting refractive error only if diagnosed before the child's 5th-6th birthday. Indeed this defect is a common problem which typically results in poor vision in one eye. The condition can be effectively treated in early childhood, but loss of vision in that eye is permanent if left undetected until later on.
This is a perfect example where the European Coalition for Vision can make a difference: we hope that with better public awareness of this condition and increased implementation of screening so that many more children will be diagnosed in time and will not carry a curable impairment into adulthood. The presented Manifesto could be an important tool to raise visibility of this issue under the next Parliament which could encourage a coalition of MEPs from different political groups to deal with this relevant issue after the elections.
Catherine Stihler (S&D, UK) “More needs to be done to ensure rehabilitation, accessibility of products and services for vision-impaired persons”
Today, we have celebrated two important developments: the development of the European Coalition for Vision and the publication of the vision and eye-health Manifesto.
The Manifesto prepared by the European Coalition for Vision is very important in time when we, all together, members of the European Parliament can give support to this Coalition. By signing the Manifesto we can give hope for those who live with visual impairment or who are in danger of sight loss that the new European Parliament will not neglect their situation and these very important issue will get the political attention it deserves in the upcoming political cycles.
The breadth of membership in that coalition can ensure that every dimension of the problem, including eye health, visual impairment and disability aspects, vision and correction of sight-loss, provision of glasses and contact-lenses, prevention of avoidable blindness will get more attention in the future. May I encourage you to help the representation of that issue and to sign that document so that the Coalition could continue its valuable work on eye health, vision and visual impairment.
Peter Ackland, chief executive of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB): “Time has come for European Institutions to address the eye health challenges and the ECV manifesto is open to anyone who is committed to help.”
25 million Europeans are suffering from serious vision impairment, including 2,7 million people who are blind. Two-thirds of these cases could be treated or prevented. The cost to individuals, their families, Member States and the EU as a whole, undermines European goals of social cohesion and participation, and hinders economic growth and development.
The solutions- proven, simple and cost-effective- are available but overlooked in the same way as the crisis: regular eye care for all, easy access to care and rapid intervention when necessary will tackle most of this burden. People living in Europe would benefit greatly from improved eye health; and for Member States healthcare savings and productivity gains would be considerable. Therefore we urge the European Parliament to address this challenge under its next mandate.
People living with sight loss have the same rights as those without a disability but often these rights are not fulfilled. Europe must do better in providing rehabilitation programmes, assistive devices and removal of barriers to access health, education, social support and employment. We call on the European Parliament to use its significant powers to improve the lives of people affected by sight loss.
Background - Numbers
An extensive review of epidemiological data has been made by the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Vision Loss Group. This study gives a total for all of Europe of 25 million with visual impairment (2,736,000 blind + 22,176,000 Low Vision).
Of a total population of 889 million this represents 2.8%
Many more people (estimated number more than 70 million) have eye diseases that are in the early stages – which if left untreated will cause disabling impairment.
Causes of blindness in Western Europe are
Macular degeneration 16% of blindness - 6% of seriously disabling visual impairment
Cataract 14% of blindness - 13% of seriously disabling visual impairment
Uncorrected refractive error 14% of blindness - 48% of seriously disabling visual impairment
Glaucoma 11% of blindness - 3% of seriously disabling visual impairment
Diabetic retinopathy 4% of blindness - 3% of seriously disabling visual impairment
2/3 of visual impairment in Western Europe today is avoidable – it could be easily treated and sight restored.
But inadequate and inequitable services mean 8.5m people in Western Europe live with a disabling vision problem.
The European Coalition for Vision has come together to call on the European Union institutions to use their power and influence to support our work in addressing these challenges.
The European Coalition for Vision (ECV) is an alliance made up of professional bodies, patient groups, European NGOs, disabled people's organisations and associations of health technology providers. The coalition exists to raise the profile of eye health and vision, help prevent avoidable visual impairment and secure an equal and inclusive society for those with irreversible blindness or low vision in Europe.
Read the European Coalition for Vision (ECV) Manifesto for the European Parliament elections.
Call to action for Members of the European Parliament (MEP)
ENCOURAGE the European Commission and EU Member States to prioritise vision and eye health as part of their public health strategies.
ADOPT an EP resolution to encourage Member States to ensure fair and equitable access to eye care, including free sight tests and treatment, for the most at risk and vulnerable groups (including those on low incomes).
ENSURE all relevant legislation and regulations improve access to and use of eye care services and promote an inclusive society that supports the rights and independence of blind and partially sighted people.
IMPROVE the consistency and standard of EU and Member State data collection on the status of vision and eye health and the inclusion of people with sight loss.
EPs who signed the ECV Manifesto in relation to the ECV launch event:
Marian Harkin (ALDE, IE)
Elisabetta Gardini (EPP, IT)
Catherine Stihler (S&D, UK)
Marianne Thyssen (EPP, BE)
Ivo Belet(EPP, BE)
Emer Costello (S&D, IE)
Kinga Göncz(S&D, HU)
Contact information
Zoe Gray, Advocacy Manager with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), at zgray@iapb.org or Tel.: +442079588254
(source of the photos © Photo EXPRESSION Marc Dossmann)
EPHA related articles
The European Coalition for Vision calls on MEPs to support better vision and eye health across Europe, and uphold the rights of visually impaired people
[Save the date] Launch of the European Coalition for Vision (ECV) & its Manifesto for the European Elections
[European Coalition for Vision (ECV) statement] Damaging Effects of Smoking on Eye Health