Visually Impaired People Day in Germany Date in the current year: June 6, 2024

The term “visual impairment” (or “vision impairment”) refers to any degree of impairment to a person’s ability to see that, even with correction, has a negative effect on his or her daily life. There are two many types of visual impairment: blindness (complete or nearly complete vision loss) and low vision. Low vision can range from mild to severe depending on the visual acuity in the better eye. It should be noted though that legal definitions and degrees of visual impairment may vary depending on the jurisdiction.

According to the World Health Organization, at least 2.2 billion people in the world have some sort of visual impairment. In almost half of these cases, the problem has yet to be addressed or could have been prevented. Unsurprisingly, the prevalence of vision impairment is several times higher in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. The leading causes of visual impairment are age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and uncorrected refractive errors.

Regardless of its degree, visual impairment can have a severe impact on one’s quality of life. Early onset severe vision impairment causes developmental delays in young children and affects the academic performance of school-age children. Adults with visual impairment find it harder to get and hold jobs, and have higher rates of anxiety and depression. Older adults with visual impairment often suffer from social isolation, have a higher risk of falls, and experience difficulty walking and taking care of themselves.

Visually Impaired People Day in Germany is spearheaded by the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV). DBSV established it in 1998 to draw attention to the needs of more than a million visually impaired people living in Germany and to emphasize their rights for education, employment, and cultural and social participation.

Founded in 1912, DBSV is the national organization representing visually impaired persons and patients suffering from diseases that lead to sight loss. It is an umbrella organization of regional associations of blind and partially sighted people, as well as specialist organizations and institutions catering to the blind and partially sighted. The main goal of DBSV is to support blind and partially sighted persons in Germany and make lasting improvements to their living conditions and quality of life.

Every year, DBSV chooses a new theme for Visually Impaired People Day to highlight a specific challenge that visually impaired people face on a daily basis or a specific improvement that can make their lives easier. For example, the theme of the 2023 campaign was “Visual Impairment and Care” (Sehbehinderung und Pflege). It focused on age-related changes that lead to impaired vision and proper care of visually impaired senior citizens.