In this guest blog post, Sarah Khor, Director, International Government Affairs & Policy at Amgen (EUCOPE member) explains why World Sight Day is a reminder that innovation and rare eye diseases go hand-in-hand with Europe’s competitiveness ambitions.

There are more than 30 million blind and visually impaired people in the EU today,[1] with rare eye diseases being a major contributing factor.[2] For people in Europe living with rare eye diseases, the path forward can be daunting. Fortunately, medical innovation is advancing and breakthroughs are offering new hope.

9 October marks World Sight Day and serves as a global call to action for stakeholders to work together to ensure that vision and eye health are prioritised worldwide. This World Sight Day, we are reminded that innovation in eye health only has value if it reaches the patients who need it most.

The burden of vision loss

Many people underestimate how much they depend on their eyesight until it is gone. Losing vision does not just affect a person’s ability to see – it affects their independence, mobility, education, employment, social life and relationships. People living with vision loss are more likely to experience isolation and mental health issues including anxiety and depression.[3] The economic cost is also significant, costing billions each year across Europe in healthcare costs and productivity loss.[4] Recognising this burden underscores why protecting and restoring vision must remain a priority.

Innovation is bringing new hope

Innovation is transforming what is possible for patients. Across the field of vision health, advances in AI-powered diagnostics, gene and cell therapies, and bioengineered solutions are creating opportunities not only to preserve sight but, in some cases, to restore it. For people with rare eye diseases, breakthrough treatments offer real hope.

But hope alone is not enough. Too often, patients face delays in diagnosis and barriers to accessing these treatments. For innovation to truly change lives, healthcare systems must recognise the value of breakthrough therapies and ensure that they reach the people they are designed to help. Existing and upcoming policy initiatives such as the EU Biotech Act, Innovation Act, and Life Sciences Strategy must deliver on their promise and make improved access a reality. A dedicated EU Action Plan on Rare Diseases would also be a critical step to drive lasting progress.

Rare eye conditions  can place a heavy burden on patients’ physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. As with many rare diseases, diagnosis can be a long journey and symptoms may have already worsened by the time a person gets appropriate care. Innovative advances in care seek to better address patients’ unmet needs, offering the potential for improved outcomes and quality of life. Innovative therapies can have a profound impact on underserved patients who have limited options available. Recognition by healthcare systems of the value of new and innovative products for underserved disease areas and addressing patients’ unmet vision needs is therefore vital.

Partnering for progress

No single organisation can solve these challenges alone. Amgen is committed to supporting the work of patient advocacy groups and professional organisations that share a common goal. We are proud to work alongside organisations such as the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), the organisation behind World Sight Day, and EUCOPE to advocate for better care for people affected by rare diseases affecting vision. By bringing stakeholder communities together, we can ensure that vision-related issues are properly recognised wherever relevant in broader health policy and that these patients’ needs are not overlooked.

Call to Action: Eyes on the future

As the EU’s efforts to boost its competitiveness intensify, EU policymakers have an important role to play in ensuring that the latest innovations are valued and that European patients do not miss out. In the spirit of World Sight Day, we call on stakeholders to join the effort and ensure that vision health is prioritised, including in rare diseases, and that these specificities are addressed in upcoming policy action. We are committed to working with patients, experts, policymakers, industry and others to make this a reality. Together, we can keep our eyes on the future and bring sight-saving innovation to those who need it most. EUCOPE’s recommendations for building a competitive pharmaceutical ecosystem through the biotech act can be read here.

[1] European Parliamentary Research Service, Blind and visually impaired people. Accessed September 2025.

^[2] Restore Vision, About Restore Vision. Accessed September 2025.

^[3] Prevent Blindness, Vision Loss and Mental Health: Key Takeaways from an Interprofessional Task Force. Accessed September 2025.

^[4] Pablo L, at al. Assessing the economic burden of vision loss and irreversible legal blindness in Spain (2021–2030): a societal perspective. Health Economics Review 2024;14(70). Chuvarayan Y, et al. Economic burden of blindness and visual impairment in Germany from a societal perspective: a cost-of-illness study. The European Journal of Health Economics 2019;21:115–127.

Read more EUCOPE Blog posts here.