How big is the BLINDNESS PROBLEM?

• Every 5 seconds, someone in our world goes blind. A child goes blind every minute.
• Currently, 37 million people in our world are blind, and an additional 135 million have a severe visual impairment. 90% of these people live in the poorest countries of our world.
• 1.5 million children in the world are blind, and another 500,000 go blind each year. The majority of these children die before their 13th birthday.
• 90% of the world’s blind children have no opportunity to attend school, and 80% of blind adults cannot work, because they lack training facilities.

cbm is a world leader in rescuing and restoring people trapped in poverty by disability, regardless of race, age, gender or religion. Founded in 1908, cbm helps over 18 million sick and disabled people each year at more than 1,000 projects in over 100 of the world's poorer countries.

cbm has affiliate offices in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, UK and USA.

Restoring Sight

• Each year, cbm and our partners perform more than 600,000 sight-restoring cataract operations.
• In 2008, cbm will celebrate its 8 millionth cataract operation! That’s 8 million moms, dads, and kids who can see again, thanks to cbm!

Saving Sight

Each year, cbm and our Partners…

• Screen and, where necessary, treat more than 2 million children for sight-threatening vitamin A deficiency.
• Treat approximately 500,000 trachoma patients, saving them from eventual pain and permanent blindness.
• Distribute sight-saving Mectizan® tablets to more than 5.6 million patients at risk of river blindness.

Enabling People

Each year cbm and our Partners…

• Serve more than 103,000 men, women and children who are irreparably blind.
• Provide medical treatment to 110,000 ear patients and 188,000 orthopaedic patients.
• Give rehabilitative care to more than 300,000 people with disabilities other than blindness.

Talking Book Library

Here in Canada, cbm offers fine Christian literature on cassette or in DAISY format compact disks to more than 500 Canadians each year who have a visual, physical or intellectual impairment. Volunteer support, the generosity of Mitchell’s Family Books, book publishers and Canada Post allow us to offer this service FREE of charge. For more information on the Talking Book Library (TBL), click here.