Contributing to achieve the goal of VISION 2020

heard of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), but they may not be aware of exactly what the organisation does and how it functions. The purpose of this article is to give a brief overview of what IAPB does and how it contributes to the elimination of avoidable blindness in the world. The IAPB was established in 1975 as a coordinating umbrella organisation to lead international efforts in the prevention of blindness. IAPB presently has 97 members, which include: the major international nongovernmental development organisations (NGDOs) involved in eye health, the international professional bodies representing ophthalmologists and optometrists, universities, World Health Organization (WHO) collaborating centres, some national eye care NGDOs, and five major corporate institutions that fund VISION 2020 programmes. IAPB’s member organisations collectively deliver more than 1,500 eye health programmes, in coordination with more than 1,000 partners in over 100 countries. IAPB is the key partner that works on the VISION 2020 initiative with WHO, in particular the WHO prevention of blindness and deafness unit (PBD). This close association, added to its knowledge of eye health programmes based upon the experience of its member organisations, means that IAPB is uniquely placed to provide strategic leadership to VISION 2020. Its work adds value and contributes to the achievement of the initiative in the following specific areas: knowledge and expertise, advocacy, promotion of VISION 2020 programmes for the prevention of blindness, and coordination. Knowledge and technical expertise IAPB provides knowledge and technical expertise to support the development of quality eye health programmes.