The Society of the Blind is marking today’s World Sight Day by launching a fundraising campaign to help prevent and manage sight loss.

The charity is also hoping to use the event to raise awareness of glaucoma and cataracts, the two leading causes of vision loss locally, while drawing attention to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Action Plan to reduce avoidable blindness.

According to the 2010 census, 3.8 percent of the Island’s population — 2,416 people — reported difficulties with sight which could not be fixed with corrective lenses.

Society president Amanda Marshall said: “Generous giving from the community over the past year has enabled us, as promised, to offer on-Island vision rehabilitation services for the first time.

“When our rehabilitation services began last month, approximately 40 people were on a waiting list and we were aware of about 100 additional individuals who were in need of service.”

Society vision rehabilitation therapist Jane Charlton encouraged the public to visit their eye doctor regularly, saying the risk of developing cataracts increases as a person ages and glaucoma can go undetected until significant vision is already lost.

“For many people these two eye diseases, which are the leading causes of vision loss in Bermuda, can be treated medically or surgically if they are detected early,” she said.