Ending Avoidable Sight Loss — A Century of Collective Action
An international body dedicated to the prevention of blindness has existed since 1929. When the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness was established at Scheveningen, the Netherlands, in 1929, it brought together ophthalmologists, humanitarian organisations, and public health leaders from 26 nations. In 1975, it became the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), which has since grown into a dynamic, cross-sectoral alliance working in close partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote integrated, inclusive, and equitable eye care for everyone, everywhere.
Today, our work is guided by the 2030 In Sight Strategy, which places eye health within universal health coverage and the sustainable development agenda.
An international meeting in The Hague brings together ophthalmologists and the League of Red Cross Societies. The International Association for the Prevention of Blindness is established with three founding objectives:
The first constitution was adopted in 1931, setting out the Association’s goals to coordinate research, promote public health interventions, and engage national governments and Red Cross societies. An advisory board and an executive bureau were formed, and the League of Red Cross Societies became an active early supporter.
Efforts were focused on raising awareness of avoidable blindness across regions including India, China, Africa, and Latin America. The Association supported country-level advocacy, early data collection, and the sharing of clinical and public health best practices. Moreover, delegates highlighted key causes such as trachoma, malnutrition, and childhood blindness at key opportunities.
World War II interrupted many international activities, but the post-war period saw renewed interest in cross-border collaboration. Early discussions began with UN-affiliated bodies and the World Health Organization on aligning efforts to tackle avoidable blindness globally.
The Association began producing technical documents and public health guidance on school eye health, industrial eye injuries, and trachoma prevention. National committees on blindness prevention were encouraged, particularly in newly independent countries with high prevalence rates.
The organisation expanded its base of collaborators, increasingly engaging with government ministries, UN agencies, and academic institutions. Its advocacy began to influence national policymaking and resource mobilisation for blindness prevention.
Sir John Wilson, founder of the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind (now Sightsavers), is elected president of the then-dormant association during a Paris seminar with Gunnar von Bahr as the vice president, W.J. Holmes and W. S. Hunter as the Secretary General and Treasurer respectively.
WHO invites Sir John Wilson to design a framework for enhanced global cooperation on blindness prevention.
1999: IAPB and WHO co-launch VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, a global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020.
