Climate Action

CLIMATE CHANGE AND EYE CARE

Climate change will have a damaging impact on our health across the world. The climate crisis has been discussed for a few decades, but the urgency comes now as we head into the most crucial decade leading to 2030. We are seeing an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events such as severe storms and floods, prolonged heatwaves and droughts, and compounding threats to food security, that are destroying communities and nature. As the global temperature rises and greenhouse gases continue to be emitted, the Lancet has signalled a “code red” for the world’s future, meaning that across all indicators that track the impacts of climate change on human health, things are getting worse. Air pollution is responsible for seven million deaths worldwide, which will continue to rise along with new and emerging infectious diseases.

The devastating impact of climate change on health will flow on to affect eye health. It is predicted to increase the incidence of trachoma infections, cataracts, eye lesions, severe allergic eye diseases, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and eye injuries.

Extreme weather events will lead to a disruption of critical eye care services such as cataract surgeries and refraction error services including the supply of medicines and spectacles.

The combination of predicted increases in eye disease together with the disruption of eye care services will worsen the prevalence of vision impairment and blindness in our communities.

Poverty and poor health are inextricably linked, and climate change could force 100 million people into poverty by 2030 resulting in poorer health outcomes. Vulnerable populations such as women and girls, people living with disabilities, and people with vision impairment will be disproportionally affected by climate change.

ACTION IN THE EYE CARE SECTOR

There is great political drive now for the eye health sector to push the climate action agenda forward. The United Nations has declared climate change an emergency and the World Health Organization has stated that climate change affects the social and environmental determinants of health. More recently, in 2021, the Lancet Commission on Global Eye Health added Planetary Health as a key component to improving the quality of eye care.

The Climate Action Working Group was established in 2017 as an initiative of the IAPB. The goal of the Climate Action Work Group is to provide leadership and advocacy for increased adoption and action on priority matters relating to climate action in eye health for IAPB members and other stakeholders. This active group is currently comprised of 17 members and meets several times a year.

In recognition of Earth Day, on April 22, 2021, IAPB declared a climate emergency and released a Call to Action for Environmentally Sustainable Practices in the Eye Health Sector and a Guide for Environmentally Sustainable Practices in the Eye Health Sector. Following in on the successful launch of the resources, there have been several promotional events to continue to bring awareness to climate change and eye care.

Learn about environmentally sustainable ophthalmology at EyeSustain.org

Call to Action: 10 key areas of action to promote and embed environmental sustainability

The Call to Action for Environmentally Sustainable Practices in the Eye Health Sector and accompanying Guide outline practical strategies that organisations and individuals may take to adapt to climate change events and reduce the environmental impact of eye care delivery.

There are ten key areas of action that organisations can focus to promote and embed environmental sustainability across their strategy, operations, and policies.

Figure 1: 10 Key areas of action that organisations can focus on to promote and embed environmental sustainability across their strategy, operations, and policies.