On World Sight Day, groundbreaking research, the Value of Vision report, has revealed that a small investment in eye health could yield massive economic returns for Kenya.
Implementing six simple, cost-effective eye health priorities, such as providing school eye tests and on-the-spot reading glasses, could boost the Kenyan economy by an estimated Ksh. 33 billion every year.
The research, conducted by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), Seva Foundation, and Fred Hollows Foundation, demonstrates an incredible return on investment: for every Ksh. 130 invested, the economy gains Ksh. 1,300.
Approximately 7.5 million people in Kenya live with avoidable sight loss, which carries severe personal and economic costs, including lower productivity, reduced income, and increased caregiving burdens, which disproportionately affect women.
A Ksh 3.3 billion investment in delivering these eye health priorities is projected to generate over Ksh. 33 billion in annual gains, including:
- Ksh 19.7 billion from improved occupational productivity.
- Ksh 5.3 billion from increased employment.
- Ksh 3.3 billion boost from averted caregiving costs.
- Educational gains equivalent to 8,628 extra years of schooling.
The report outlines six priority areas for governments to prevent sight loss:
- Early detection through vision screenings in the community.
- Distributing reading glasses on the spot where needed.
- Increasing capacity in the eye health workforce.
- Boosting surgical productivity and teams.
- Removing barriers to accessing eye health, such as cost, distance, and stigma.
- Improving cataract surgery quality through better training, wider use of biometry, and stronger post-operation care.
Senator Crystal Asige, Secretary General of the Kenya Disabled Parliamentarians Association, emphasized the urgency: “We often take our sight for granted, but I know first-hand that it’s a gateway to everything, from education to earning a living… The research is clear: investing in eye health brings significant returns for our entire county. As decision-makers, we must commit to implementing proven, cost-effective eye health priorities.”
Victor Opiyo, President of the Optometrists Association of Kenya (OAK), echoed this sentiment, stating, “This research underlines what we see every day in clinics across Kenya: the solutions to sight loss are simple, affordable and life-changing… Eye health is not a luxury – it is essential to education, productivity and the dignity of our people. By prioritising vision, Kenya can ensure that no child is held back in school, no worker loses their livelihood, and no family carries an unnecessary burden of care.”
The IAPB’s Love Your Eyes campaign launched this exclusive national data for World Sight Day, urging all Kenyans to love their eyes by getting an eye test.