The number of blind people across the world is set to triple within the next four decades, researchers suggest.
研究人员表示，在未来的40年里，全世界盲人的数量将会增加三倍。
Writing in Lancet Global Health, they predict cases will rise from 36 million to 115 million by 2050, if treatment is not improved by better funding.
他们在《柳叶刀全球健康》上发文预测，如果不投资来改善治疗情况，那么到2050年，病例将从3600万增加到1.15亿。
A growing ageing population is behind the rising numbers.
不断加剧的人口老龄化是这个数字不断增长背后的原因。
Some of the highest rates of blindness and vision impairment are in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
在南亚和撒哈拉以南非洲，失明和视力损害的比例最高。
The percentage of the world’s population with visual impairments is actually falling, according to the study.
根据这项研究，世界上视力下降的人口比例实际上在下降。
But because the global population is growing and more people are living well into old age, researchers predict the number of people with sight problems will soar in the coming decades.
但是，由于全球人口正在增长，而且越来越多的人寿命较长，研究人员预测，在未来的几十年里，有视力问题的人数将会激增。
Analysis of data from 188 countries suggests there are more than 200 million people with moderate to severe vision impairment.
来自188个国家的数据分析表明，有超过2亿人患有中度至重度视力障碍。
That figure is expected to rise to more than 550 million by 2050.
到2050年，这个数字预计将上升到5.5亿。
"Even mild visual impairment can significantly impact a person’s life," said lead author Prof Rupert Bourne, from Anglia Ruskin University.
“即使是轻微的视力障碍也会严重影响一个人的生活，”英国安格利亚鲁斯金大学的主要作者鲁珀特·伯恩教授说。
"For example, reducing their independence... as it often means people are barred from driving."
“例如，这降低了他们的独立性…”因为这通常意味着他们被禁止开车。
He said it also limited people’s educational and economic opportunities.
他说，这也一定程度上限制了人们的教育和赚钱的机会。
The worst affected areas for visual impairment are in South and East Asia. Parts of sub-Saharan Africa also have particularly high rates.
视力损害最严重的地区在南亚和东亚。撒哈拉以南非洲的部分地区也有特别高的比例。
The study calls for better investment in treatments, such as cataract surgery, and ensuring people have access to appropriate vision-correcting glasses.
这项研究呼吁在治疗方面进行更好的投资，比如白内障手术，以及确保人们能够使用合适的视力矫正眼镜。
"Due to an ageing population and a rise in chronic disease, we expect the burden of blindness to only grow within the world’s poorest countries" said Imran Khan from the charity.
来自慈善机构的伊姆兰·汗说:“由于人口老龄化和慢性疾病的增加，我们预计，在世界最贫穷的国家，失明的比例只会增加。”
He said health systems in developing countries need to be improved, and more surgeons and nurses need to be trained to deliver sustainable eye health care.
他说，发展中国家的卫生系统需要改进，需要培养更多的外科医生和护士来提供持续的眼科保健服务。
11.7 million people in South Asia
在南亚有1170万人
6.2 million people in East Asia
在东亚有620万人
3.5 million people in South East Asia
东南亚有350万人
more than 4% of the population in parts of sub-Saharan Africa
撒哈拉以南非洲部分地区超过4%的人口
less than 0.5% of the population of Western Europe
西欧不到人口的0.5%
来源:BBC
新闻爱语吧作者:Anne
