• New IAPB finding shows a child's lifetime earnings could double in total of 23 countries worldwide if vision problems are identified and corrected early
• "A simple eye test and glasses could be one of the best investments a parent can make" IAPB CEO
• Finding published on World Sight Day, as governments urged to ensure every child has access to sight tests and glasses, and parents encouraged to get their child's eyes tested

London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - October 8, 2026) -  (World Sight Day) Global eye health experts are urging governments to prioritise access to eye tests and glasses, as a new finding from the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) shows they could help double a child's lifetime earnings in 23 countries, including the USA and Canada.

Uncorrected refractive error is the leading cause of vision impairment in children and leads to 243,000 lost school years annually in the USA, and over 23,000 in Canada.

The impact can be profound as children with poor vision learn only about half as much as those with good eyesight - a learning gap that can go on to limit their future productivity, employment and life opportunities.

However, if identified at the age of five and corrected by wearing quality spectacles through to 18, a child's average lifetime earnings are expected to increase by 105% in the USA and by 98% in Canada, according to a new finding published by the IAPB today - World Sight Day.

The finding also shows that the average lifetime earnings are expected to double in a total of 23 countries worldwide, if vison problems are identified and corrected early.

The IAPB is therefore urging governments in these countries to ensure every child has access to sight tests and glasses and is also encouraging parents of young children to arrange routine eye tests for their children if they can.

Peter Holland, CEO, IAPB, said: "A simple eye test and glasses could be one of the best investments a parent can make for their child's future. We recognise it may not be possible for some parents to arrange and afford eye tests and glasses, which is why we urge governments to ensure every child has access to sight tests and glasses. Every child deserves to see clearly when they start school or return for the new school term."

Dr Cindy Tromans, World Council of Optometry, said: "Everyday millions of children sit in a classroom unable to see the board clearly and many will go on to earn less than classmates with better vision. Detecting and treating eye problems early can have a huge impact on a child's quality of life by improving their education outcomes, social wellbeing and career prospects".

To support better vision, the IAPB has launched the Love Your Eyes Back-to-School campaign on children's eye health including content for school assemblies, in-class activities and take-home materials for children to share with their parents and caregivers.

The first ever Global Summit for Eye Health will also take place in Antigua and Barbuda next month (2 November) where Heads of States and partners will make a series of commitments to improve eye care health services worldwide.

Read more here to explore what uncorrected refractive error really costs children worldwide, including a closer look at the 23 countries where correcting it early could double a child's lifetime income.

The global data shows that:

• One year of sub-optimal learning due to uncorrected refractive error results in 6.3 million equivalent years of schooling loss annually.
• When measured in dollars, the loss splits almost evenly between richer and poorer countries - $173 billion a year in total.

Children in Canadian classroom. Credit FatCamera

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Children in US classroom. Photo credit Nimito

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Data source: Parami Dhakhwa, Bryce Everett, Brad Wong, Better education in sight. An estimate of global learning and economic productivity losses from uncorrected refractive error in schools.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/317846

Source: International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness