Key Takeaways

  • Fourteen eye health and development organizations are calling for broader endorsement of the St John's Global Compact for Eye Health

  • More than 100 countries and organizations have endorsed the voluntary agreement, with additional endorsements encouraged by November 1, 2026.

  • The Compact will guide discussions at the inaugural Global Summit for Eye Health in Antigua and Barbuda in November 2026

Fourteen eye health and development organizations have issued a joint call for partners across the eye care sector to endorse the St John's Global Compact for Eye Health, an international agreement aimed at accelerating progress toward eliminating avoidable vision loss.

The Compact establishes a shared framework for governments, civil society organizations, private sector partners, and international institutions to coordinate efforts to expand access to quality eye care services worldwide.

More than 100 countries and organizations have already endorsed the agreement, according to the announcement. Additional eye care and development organizations are encouraged to sign before the November 1, 2026, deadline.

The Compact will serve as a central framework for the inaugural Global Summit for Eye Health, scheduled for November 2026 in Antigua and Barbuda. The summit will bring together government representatives, development partners, healthcare leaders, and advocates to advance coordinated strategies for improving access to eye care.

Although the Compact is voluntary and nonbinding, endorsement signals an organization's commitment to strengthening eye health systems and advancing eye care as a global development priority. Most of the 14 organizations issuing the joint statement are also High Impact Partners supporting the upcoming summit.

"We already have the evidence, innovation and partnerships needed to end avoidable sight loss. What we need now is greater collective commitment and coordinated action," said Jessica Thompson, deputy CEO of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).

Ms. Thompson emphasized that broader participation would strengthen international efforts to address preventable vision impairment and improve access to essential eye care.