Nairobi — Better eye health would add more to Kenya's economy than the coffee market, according to new research that was released during World Sight Day yesterday.
Avoidable sight loss costs the country Sh22.3 billion per year, almost double the estimated revenue of the Kenyan coffee market.
The 'Love Your Eyes campaign' argues that improved eye health boosts productivity, urging business leaders to put eye health on the workplace wellbeing agenda.
"Our goal for this World Sight Day is to ensure that eye health is placed at the top of the agenda for the majority of workplaces," The President of the Optometrists Association of Keyna (OAK), Optom Opiyo Victor, states.
"There are about 750,000 Kenyans with severe vision impairment and they should not be overlooked. With the right intervention, these numbers can drastically scale back and put Kenya on the right trajectory," he added.
The study, conducted by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and Kevin Frick from Johns Hopkins, calculated the costs of avoidable sight loss among people over 50.
As technology transforms the world of work, the future economy will be dominated by service industries and office-based jobs involving the prolonged use of screens.
Without proper precautions, this can lead to eye strain and negatively impact eye health.
Sight loss costs the global economy US$411 billion every year, according to the Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health.
An estimated 30 percent of people with sight loss experience a reduction in employment, with women, people in rural communities, and ethnic minority groups among the groups most affected.
However, 90 percent of sight loss is avoidable with early detection and treatment.
Further research by the Fred Hollows Foundation found that amongst the 19 countries included in the study, Kenya has the highest estimated return on investment (ROI) for cataract surgery at Sh7,638.8, the highest ROI for the treatment of myopia at Sh2,247.5, and presbyopia at Sh1,924.4.
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On World Sight Day, the IAPB aimed to shift the Kenyan spotlight towards workplaces and their focus on eye health, which could unlock the full potential of employees and employers alike.
"Business leaders have played a vital role in raising awareness of workplace wellbeing, from mental health to menopause," Peter Holland, CEO of IAPB and Love Your Eyes campaigns, says.
"Today, World Sight Day is an opportunity for employers to add eye health to their well-being agenda and encourage workers to love their eyes," he added.
