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Publication

How to ensure equitable access to eye health for children with disabilities.

Abstract

All children need access to good quality eye care, and this must include children with disabilities. Childhood disability is very common. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are at least 93 million children with disabilities worldwide, which equates to one in twenty children.1 Childhood disability is particularly common in low- and middle-income countries. Children with disabilities may have a particularly high need for eye health services. This is because eye problems are a common cause of disability in children, and children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to eye problems. For instance, one in three children with cerebral palsy experiences visual impairment. Eye health services will exclude many children if they are not accessible to children with disabilities or if they are not proactive about ensuring inclusion. Eyesight is very important for all children, even more so when children have other impairments, such as those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

More information

Type
Journal Article
Author
Kuper H