Lebanon is grappling with a sharp increase in its visually impaired population following Israel's deadly pager attacks in September 2024, which left hundreds blind, including men, women, and children.

The attacks, widely condemned as a war crime, resulted in widespread civilian casualties and mass injuries.

According to disability rights activist Ibrahim Abdullah, those injured in the attacks have joined an estimated 15,000 to 17,000 visually impaired people in Lebanon, with at least 8,000 officially registered, The New Arab reported.

Speaking to the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, Abdullah said the surge in visual impairment now makes Lebanon one of the countries with the highest rates of blindness per capita in the world.

The pager attacks were particularly devastating due to their deceptive nature. The devices reportedly emitted a notification alert designed to draw attention. Victims instinctively held the pagers close to their faces to inspect the message - at which point the devices detonated.

The proximity of the blasts caused severe facial injuries, with shrapnel tearing into victims' eyes, resulting in widespread blindness and permanent disabilities.

"Their intention was clear — to cause the greatest possible harm," Abdullah said. "The devices were designed to explode when held at eye level, which is why saw so many cases of severe visual impairment."