Professor Dr. Sabih-ud-Din Ahmed, Head of the Cataract Department at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, has said that a major public health crisis is emerging across Pakistan as the country’s world-leading diabetes rate is causing an alarming surge in cataract cases, resulting in millions of people becoming blind and millions more suffering from visual impairment. This worsening situation is further complicated by a shortage of specialists, gender disparity, and unaffordable treatment costs, leading to severe economic losses for the country.
According to a statement issued today by Professor Dr. Sabih-ud-Din Ahmed, Head of the Cataract Department at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, the number of people affected by cataracts is continuously increasing despite the expansion of treatment facilities. He identified the rapid spread of diabetes, aging, nutritional deficiencies, excessive exposure to sunlight, and delayed diagnosis as the primary causes of this trend.
The country’s healthcare system is under growing pressure due to the rising population and the spread of diseases. “The situation is alarming in areas where specialist doctors are not available,” said Professor Ahmed. He advocated for decentralizing the healthcare system to improve access to care.
Pakistan currently ranks first in the world for diabetes prevalence, with 34.5 million citizens affected by the disease-a number projected to reach 70.2 million by 2050. The disease affects 16 percent of the population in Punjab, 15 percent in Balochistan, 14 percent in Sindh, and 11 percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, causing approximately 230,000 deaths annually.
This diabetes epidemic has had a direct and severe impact on eye health. An estimated 570,000 adults have become blind due to cataracts, while another 3.56 million suffer from related visual impairments. Projections indicate that by 2030, at least 1.84 million cataract surgeries will be needed annually to meet the demand.
The economic consequences of this health issue are enormous. The World Health Organization estimates that vision problems cause a global economic loss of $411 billion. In Pakistan, the inability of patients to work due to vision loss reduces productivity and increases dependency among the elderly.
Systemic shortcomings exacerbate this crisis. Pakistan has only 15 ophthalmologists per million people, which is considered a very low number. Most of these specialists are based in cities, leaving large rural populations underserved. This disparity is also reflected in service delivery, where the private sector performs 42.4 percent of surgeries, NGOs 39.9 percent, and the public sector only 17.7 percent.
Professor Ahmed highlighted that women are disproportionately affected, facing greater difficulties due to mobility restrictions and a lack of financial resources, which contributes to a higher prevalence of the disease among them. He said that expensive surgeries are beyond the reach of most people, and the condition of public hospitals is poor.
, Professor Ahmed urged provincial governments to immediately focus on implementing regular diabetes screening programs, providing essential eye care at primary health centers, and promoting specialized training for health professionals.