World Sight Day 2026: An important milestone toward eye care for all

Today we launch the World Sight Day campaign with a call for the eye health sector to once again unite behind the global movement to #LoveYourEyes.

Building on the success of the last five years, the campaign continues to remind everyone, everywhere to prioritise their own eye health, while calling on governments around the world to unlock funding and prioritise eye care so everyone, everywhere can access the care they need.

Taking place on 8 October 2026, this year’s World Sight Day campaign spotlights the power of people, by putting stories, lived experiences, and community action at the heart of the movement. To achieve this, IAPB invites parties to participate in global campaign activations that include:

• Every Story Counts – an opportunity for sharing personal experiences that form a collective and powerful voice that demonstrates why eye health matters to everyone, everywhere – which becomes impossible to ignore.
• 5 Million Pledges to #LoveYourEyes – at the heart of every World Sight Day is to pledge to #LoveYourEyes for World Sight Day. This year, we are focused on five million pledges, which equal five million voices demanding accessible eye care for themselves and others.
• Global Challenge – a call to the eye care sector to conduct screenings at schools, workplaces and parliaments around the world. To support these efforts IAPB is releasing expanded Love Your Eyes Kids resources for schools, carers and children, and Love Your Eyes at Work materials that help employers and workers take practical steps to protect vision in every workplace.

Over five successful years, the campaign has secured over 25 million pledges to Love Your Eyes, generated over 1 billion media impressions and continues to be an important milestone in the lead up to the first‑ever Global Summit for Eye Health, which will be held in Antigua and Barbuda on 2 November 2026.

Simon Darvill, IAPB Director of Communications, Campaigns and Events, said the 2026 campaign “comes at a pivotal moment for the sector, as countries prepare their commitments for the Global Summit for Eye Health. This year’s World Sight Day is not only about celebrating progress – it’s about building the momentum needed to deliver lasting change to end avoidable sight loss. I invite everyone to be part of the sectors biggest day for collective action and public engagement.”

World Sight Day is led by IAPB, championed by more than 250 member organisations, and supported by Love Your Eyes Global Partners, including Abbvie, Bayer, The Chen Yet-Sen Family Foundation, CBM, CooperVision, Cure Blindness Project, The Fred Hollows Foundation, Hoya Vision Care, Johnson & Johnson Vision, National Vision, Orbis International, RestoringVision, Roche, Safilo, Santen, Seva Foundation, Sightsavers and VisionSpring.

Visit iapb.world to explore campaign activations, and access campaign materials to start planning your #LoveYourEyes for World Sight Day campaigning.