Uncorrected refractive error – the leading cause of vision impairment among school-aged children and teenagers – is costing Australian school children 25,677 years of lost schooling every year, and parents are being urged to get their children’s eyes tested early.
New data from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) shows refractive error identified at the age of five and corrected by wearing quality glasses through to 18, could more than double the lifetime earnings of a child growing up in Australia.
This World Sight Day (8 October), The Fred Hollows Foundation is highlighting how access to simple eye care can change a child’s education and future. They are encouraging parents to get their children’s eyes tested before they start or return to school.
Every child deserves the chance to learn, participate and thrive. Yet too many are missing out
The Fred Hollows Foundation Director of Communications Alison Hill said children’s eye health should be a routine priority.
“Every child deserves the chance to learn, participate and thrive. Yet too many are missing out because a vision issue has not been identified or corrected.
“Timely eye care can change the course of a child’s education and future. We are calling on parents, schools and governments to make children’s eye health a priority, so no child is left behind simply because they need a pair of glasses.
“Research shows a child with uncorrected vision learns about half as much in a year as a classmate with good vision.1
“A simple eye test and glasses could be one of the best investments a parent can make for their child’s future. Not only will it help them to learn, but it could increase their lifetime earnings by 116%.”2
World Sight Day comes just weeks before the first Global Summit for Eye Health, where Heads of State and partners will make a series of commitments to improve eye health services worldwide.
References
- Dhakhwa P, Everett B, Wong B. Better education in sight. IAPB Vision Atlas. Available at org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Better-Education-In-Sight-Full-Report.pdf? [accessed Oct 2026]
- IABP Vision Atlas. Australia. Available at iapb.org/country-data/australia/?trk=article-ssr-frontend-pulse_little-text-block [accessed Oct 2026].