On the occasion, various programmes will be held in the ORBIS headquarters in New York City.

NY City Mayor Michael R Bloomberg has proclaimed the day as 'ORBIS Day'.

Throughout this month, ORBIS hopes to make more people aware that 75 percent of 37 million blind people can be cured.

As part of the celebrations, ORBIS will host a reception for government and business leaders. The world-famous tower lights of the Empire State Building will be turned off for 28 minutes today to remember the 28 million people around the world who are suffering from avoidable blindness.

ORBIS's blindness prevention activities in Bangladesh started in 1985 when the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital first visited Dhaka. Since then, Flying Eye Hospital has visited Bangladesh eight times to conduct sight-saving operations and share modern eye care techniques with local doctors and other eye care professionals.