Obesity is the most prevalent metabolic disease in developed countries and its prevalence rates worldwide are increasing rapidly. The disease is associated with a considerably enhanced morbidity in many body systems as well as mortality. This article reviews the effects of obesity on the four major blinding eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataract and glaucoma, and shows that obesity is a significant risk factor for these diseases and hence to blindness.