March 22, 2019

Optometrists – an essential piece of the puzzle to achieve comprehensive eye health

Sabine Rehbichler
International Director Programmes, Advocacy and Strategic Partnerships
Organisation: Light for the World
On World Optometry Day, Sabine Rehbichler on why optometrists are an essential piece of the puzzle to achieve comprehensive eye health... Light for the World strives towards improved access to universal and comprehensive eye health in its partner countries. As all stakeholders in the field know, this is not always highest on the agenda of…

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March 22, 2019

Advocating for our children’s vision – the job falls to us

Hasan Minto
Chair, IAPB School Eye Health Working Group, Global Programs Director, Our Children Vision, and Program Director, Child Eye Health & Low Vision, Brien Holden Vision Institute
Organisation: The Brien Holden Vision Institute
Millions upon millions of children are without vision care, on World Optometry Day, Hasan Minto on the need for advocacy and why the job falls to us... Millions upon millions of children are without vision care – and for them the issue is pressing. This we know. What we are currently working towards is the…

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March 22, 2019

Achieving Scale: the real challenge for Optometry

Prof. Kovin Naidoo
Senior Vice President of Inclusive Business, Philanthropy and Social Impact
Organisation: Essilor
It is important on World Optometry Day we take stock of the relevance and impact of the Optometry profession. Many of us have spent years involved in various eye care projects and campaigns to increase access to refractive services, a key responsibility of optometric services. However the fact that there are still 2.5 billion people…

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March 18, 2019

Nominations open for Her Abilities Award 2019

IAPB
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is an alliance of civil society organisations, corporates and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships.
Organisation: IAPB

Nominations are open for Her Abilities Award 2019. The global award launched in 2018 to celebrate the achievements of women with disabilities in the areas of Health & Education, Rights, Arts, Culture, and Sports. The last day to send nominations is 21 June 2019. Her Abilities, a Light for the World initiative, is inspired and…

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March 18, 2019

Vacancy: Eye Health Officer (Ghana)

IAPB
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is an alliance of civil society organisations, corporates and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships.
Organisation: IAPB

Vision for a Nation Foundation (VFAN) is looking to fill the position of an Eye Health Officer in Ghana. The successful candidate must have the legal right to live and work in Ghana indefinitely. The purpose of the Eye Health Officer is to support the Eye Health Lead to train Ghana Health Service (GHS) staff to…

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March 14, 2019

In Search of a Smart Silent Thief

Abdullahi Sadiq Mohammed
Glaucoma Specialist
Organisation: National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria
For World Glaucoma Week, Dr Abdullahi Sadiq Mohammed takes to fiction to illustrate glaucoma's impact! Family members of a renowned Professor of medicine are yet to recover from the tragedy that had befallen them following a devastating and heart-breaking theft that resulted in a total loss of vision. It was a theft in broad daylight…

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March 14, 2019

Glaucoma in South Korea

Sangchul Yoon
Ophthalmologist
Organisation: Severance Hospital
South Korea has been collecting epidemiological data regarding eye health from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) since 2008. A considerable amount of scientific articles have been published from this data about an ethnically homogeneous population with high myopia and prevalence of various eye diseases. The results of the survey emphasize the…

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March 14, 2019

Overcoming Barriers and Scaling Glaucoma Treatment in Africa

Scott Lawrence
Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Kellogg Eye Center for International Ophthalmology and Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Tennessee
Organisation: Kellogg Eye Center for International Ophthalmology
For World Glaucoma Week, Dr Scott Lawrence, Kellogg Eye Center for International Ophthalmology (KECIO) at the University of Michigan, writes about the three "As" of Glaucoma care in Africa. I had recently moved from my comfortable academic practice in the United States to work full-time in Ethiopia when SG, a 45-year-old mother of three young children, pushed…

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March 14, 2019

Paediatric Glaucoma: Global Challenges and Emerging Solutions

Alana L. Grajewski
Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology and Director of The Samuel & Ethel Balkan International Pediatric Glaucoma Center
Organisation: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami
For World Glaucoma Week, Dr. Alana L. Grajewski, Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology and Director of The Samuel & Ethel Balkan International Pediatric Glaucoma Center at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at University of Miami discusses global challenges and emerging solutions for pediatric glaucoma. Paediatric glaucoma, also known as childhood glaucoma, is a group of diseases that…

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March 12, 2019

Sub-Specialty Training is Key to Addressing Glaucoma

Angelia Rorison
Communications Manager
Organisation: Himalayan Cataract Project
For World Glaucoma Week, Angelia Rorison, Himalayan Cataract Project on why sub-Specialty Training is key to Addressing Glaucoma. Access to eye care services is one of the biggest challenges to providing glaucoma treatment in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in rural areas. Routine eye exams and basic treatment are often unavailable. Both are crucial components…

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March 12, 2019

3rd International Glaucoma Symposium at Eye Foundation Hospital

Frances Unuode
Executive Assistant
Organisation: Eye Foundation Hospital
For World Glaucoma Week, Eye Foundation Hospital Group on their glaucoma symposium, discussing the priorities they identify in Africa... As we mark World Glaucoma Week 2019, we note the ongoing efforts and collaborations aimed at tackling the menace of Glaucoma in Nigeria. Glaucoma remains one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. It is…

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March 12, 2019

Glaucoma in Latin America

Fabian Lerner
Professor and Head of Ophthalmology, University Favaloro School of Medical Sciences and President-Elect World Glaucoma Association
Organisation: University Favaloro School of Medical Sciences
For World Glaucoma Week, Dr Fabian Lerner discusses glaucoma in Latin America—a region where prevalence is poorly understood... Little is known about the prevalence of glaucoma in Latin America, as very few population-based studies are published in the literature. Moreover, there is no "one" population in Latin America, as, even within a country there are…

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March 12, 2019

Glaucoma in Portugal

João Barbosa Breda
Glaucoma specialist, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário São João and Lecturer in Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto
Organisation: Centro Hospitalar e Universitário São João
For World Glaucoma Week, Dr João Barbosa Breda, writes about glaucoma in Portugal. Dr Breda is part of Allergan Foundation's International Glaucoma Panel. In Portugal, the westernmost country of Europe, a recent study of national prescription data shows that 2.2% (231,634 inhabitants) of the total Portuguese population is under some type of eyedrops1. Moreover, in…

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March 12, 2019

Hope and glaucoma – The need to advocate and educate

Mohd Aziz Husni
Head of Department & Consultant Ophthalmologist
Organisation: Hospital Selayang
For World Glaucoma Week, Dr Mohd Aziz Husni, a reluctant ophthalmologist on how hope led to him choosing glaucoma as his sub-speciality and why we need to advocate and educate... You can call me a reluctant ophthalmologist. Apart from 3 weeks of ophthalmology during medical school, I knew very little about it other than it…

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March 12, 2019

Improving Accessibility to New Glaucoma Treatment Options

Chelvin Sng
Assistant Professor, National University Of Singapore and Consultant Ophthalmologist, National University Hospital
Organisation: National University Of Singapore
For World Glaucoma Week, Dr Chelvin Sng on how just early diagnosis of glaucoma isn't enough in Asia and Africa to save sight and the need to improve accessibility to new glaucoma treatment options... Glaucoma is the leading cause of global irreversible blindness, and glaucoma treatment, generally, prevents progression of the disease by reducing eye pressure.…

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March 11, 2019

Glaucoma – a way forward

Sidi Mohammed Ezzouhairi
Head
Organisation: Glaucoma Center- Morocco
For World Glaucoma Week, Dr. Sidi Mohamed Ezzouhairi pens a personal piece touching on IOP in glaucoma, the conflict of interest for ophthalmologists and more... Glaucoma in Morocco, as in the rest of the world, represents the second leading cause of blindness. The burden of glaucoma, the silent thief of sight, is very high in…

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March 11, 2019

Training surgeons through simulation: A BCBP-funded project

Emma McGuigan
Fundraising Manager
Organisation: British Council for Prevention of Blindness
For World Glaucoma Week, Emma McGuigan on how the British Council for Prevention of Blindness is helping train surgeons quickly to tackle conditions like glaucoma... I joined the British Council for Prevention of Blindness (BCPB) in July 2017 as a Fundraising Manager. I was shocked at the time to find out about the prevalence of…

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March 11, 2019

Improving the vision of glaucoma patients

Keith Martin
Managing Director, CERA and President World Glaucoma Association
Organisation: Centre for Eye Research Australia
For World Glaucoma Week, Keith Martin writes on glaucoma and his work which is focused on improving the vision of glaucoma patients. As President of the World Glaucoma Association, I think World Glaucoma Week is one of the most important contributions we make to raising awareness about glaucoma, a disease that remains the biggest cause…

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March 7, 2019

Reminiscences

Victoria Sheffield
President, International Eye Foundation and Vice-President, IAPB
Organisation: International Eye Foundation

On International Women’s Day, Victoria Sheffield,  President & CEO, International Eye Foundation and Vice President, IAPB reminisces on her journey in eye care… My wonderful opportunities to build strong friendships, working relationships, and trust were not given lightly, but working hard and proving oneself attracts amazing people who help along the way. I began my…

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March 7, 2019

Impact of Cataract surgery among vulnerable communities in India: A Gender Perspective

Elizabeth Kurian

Elizabeth Kurian and Prem Kumar SG look at impact of cataract surgery on women beneficiaries… The Context 55% of the world’s vision impaired are women. In industrialised countries this is because women live longer than men, but in non-industrialised settings, where cataract is responsible for most blindness, it is simply because women do not get to access services with…

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