Global blindness set to 'triple by 2050'

Researchers say the number of blind people across the world is set to triple within the next four decades.

Writing in the Lancet Global Health magazine, they predict cases will rise from 36 million to 115 million by 2050, if treatment is not improved by better funding and investment in cataract surgery.

A growing ageing population is behind the rising numbers.

Some of the highest rates of blindness and vision impairment are in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Analysis of data from 188 countries suggests there are more than 200 million people with moderate to severe vision impairment.
 
That figure is expected to rise to more than 550 million by 2050. 

SOURCE: BBC NEWS