Millions of people living with cataract need access to a simple, sight‑restoring surgery — one of the most effective and affordable interventions to prevent avoidable blindness, the World Health Organization said, urging countries to accelerate efforts in this direction.

Cataract — the clouding of the eye’s lens, which causes blurred vision and could lead to blindness — affects more than 94 million people globally. A 15-minute, cost-effective cataract surgery provides immediate and lasting restoration of sight, the WHO said.

Over two decades, global coverage of cataract surgery has increased by about 15 per cent, even as ageing populations and rising cataract cases have increased overall demand. The latest modelling predicts an 8.4 per cent rise in coverage for cataract surgery this decade. However, progress needs to accelerate sharply to meet the World Health Assembly target of 30 per cent increase by 2030, the WHO said.

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Published on February 23, 2026