NAIROBI, Kenya—The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), together with the government of Kenya, is hosting its flagship 2030 IN SIGHT LIVE conference through June 6. With access available both in-person and online, the 3-day event, which began yesterday, brings together global leaders, policymakers, innovators, development partners, civil society organizations and eye health experts with the goal to accelerate progress toward universal access to quality eyecare by 2030. This year’s conference convenes more than 130 speakers from 38 countries, including representatives from Africa, North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, positioning Nairobi as a key global platform for discussions on strengthening eye health systems, innovation, workforce development, financing, and access to eyecare services.
The initiative, launched in 2021, unites stakeholders across the eye health sector with the singular goal of eradicating avoidable sight loss by 2030.
“Kenya recognizes the value of investing in eye health and, with strong support from partners, has made impressive progress strengthening its eyecare services,” said Peter Holland, CEO of IAPB. “There is more to do, but the evidence is clear that investment in eye health delivers substantial social and economic returns.”
Small, portable, and easy-to-use devices are used for glaucoma screening of at-risk patients during an outreach program in rural Uganda. Image was submitted by Terry Cooper to the IAPB World Sight Day photo competition.
New research being presented during the conference further highlights the economic importance of investing in eye health in Kenya, with findings showing that every dollar invested in eye health could generate a tenfold economic return, the announcement stated. The findings show that investing $25.5 million in Kenya’s eyecare services between 2026 and 2030 could generate approximately $265 million in economic benefits, through increased employment, higher productivity, improved educational outcomes, and reduced poverty.
Kenya has demonstrated that progress in eye health is possible, recording a 47 percent reduction in blindness prevalence over the last three decades, the announcement advised. This progress reflects sustained collaboration between government, partners, healthcare workers, and communities. The Kenyan government is expected to further demonstrate its commitment to advancing eye health and strengthening access to quality eyecare services across the country by announcing a new national eye health plan. This plan outlines its priorities for improving access to eyecare services and addressing avoidable blindness and visual impairment.
The flagship conference reflects the growing collaboration between the government of Kenya and leading eye health organizations, including Christian Blind Mission (CBM), The Fred Hollows Foundation, GoodVision, and Sightsavers, all of which continue to support eye health programs and service delivery in Kenya and across the region.
The conference also serves as an important milestone ahead of the first-ever Global Summit for Eye Health, to be hosted by Antigua and Barbuda in November 2026, the announcement stated. The IAPB’s Value of Vision research shows that investing $7 billion in eye health across low- and middle-income countries worldwide could return $199 billion in economic benefits.
“Reflecting this momentum, our flagship event—2030 IN SIGHT LIVE—is being held in Kenya, and will showcase progress from across the world,” said Holland. “It also marks an important step towards the first ever Global Summit for Eye Health in Antigua and Barbuda.”
