Global initiatives for blindness

Blindness Is defined as visual acuity in the better eye after best possible correction of < 3/60 or visual field less than or equal to 10° from point of fixation .
Avoidable blindness is either preventable or treatable.
Mainly caused by ocular diseases such as cataract, refractive errors, trachoma, Onchocerciasis and some eye conditions in children.
WHO’s early efforts on blindness prevention, starting in the 1950s and predating the formal establishment of a program for the prevention of blindness .

These efforts involved providing assistance to Member States to assess the magnitude of the problem and institute control activities, several research initiatives on treatment options.

The research activities included laboratory and field studies and, based on the results, strategies were evolved for the prevention and control of trachoma.

1. University of Gondar College of medicine and Health sciences Department of Optometry Community ophthalmology group presentation Title Global response for blindness and achievements (vision 2020...) By group 3 1

2. Objectives At the end of this presentation you are expected to Define what blindness is Explain the response of the world to blindness List and explain different global initiatives for blindness Define what vision 2020 is and highlight its achievements. 2

3. Out lines Introduction Global responses on blindness The major global initiatives taken for prevention of blindness Vision 2020 : The right to sight Achievements of vision 2020 3

4. Introduction Blindness Is defined as visual acuity in the better eye after best possible correction of < 3/60 or visual field less than or equal to 10 ° from point of fixation . Avoidable blindness is either preventable or treatable. Mainly caused by ocular diseases such as cataract, refractive errors, trachoma, Onchocerciasis and some eye conditions in children. 4

5. Global responses on blindness WHO’s early efforts on blindness prevention, starting in the 1950s and predating the formal establishment of a program for the prevention of blindness . These efforts involved providing assistance to Member States to assess the magnitude of the problem and institute control activities, several research initiatives on treatment options. The research activities included laboratory and field studies and, based on the results, strategies were evolved for the prevention and control of trachoma . 5

6. The major global initiatives taken for prevention of blindness Vision 2020: The Right to Sight Global program for prevention of blindness Vision for the future ( VFTF ). 6

7. Global programme for control of blindness Global programme for prevention of blindness was launched in 1978 by WHO. In accordance with which many countries have already come up with a ‘National Blindness Control Programme ’. 7

8. Cont… Control strategies suggested by WHO include : Assessment of common blinding disorders at local, regional and national levels. Establishment of national level programmes for control of blindness suited to the national and local needs. Training of eye care providers. Operational research to improve and apply appropriate technology. 8

9. Vision for the future (VFTF): It is another global initiative for prevention of blindness which is launched in 2001. 9

10. Cont… Implementation of this program is being done by International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) by working closely with other international, supranational and national organizations. It is parallel to and complementary of ‘Vision 2020’. Care is being taken to avoid duplication. 10

11. Top priorities for action of this program Enhancement of ophthalmology residency training. Development of model guidelines and recommendations for ophthalmic clinical care in critical disease areas. Dissemination of sample curricula for training of medical students and allied health personnel. Advocacy and support for ‘Vision 2020: Right to Sight’,. Helping national ophthalmologic societies develop more effective organizations 11

12. Vision 2020 : The right to sight VISION 2020: The Right to Sight  is the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness by the year 2020. It was launched on February 18 ,1999. It is a joint programme of WHO and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness ( IAPB ). 12

13. 13

14. Responsibilities Responsibilities of IAPB Resource mobilization Public relations Mobilizing its member organizations. WHO responsibilities Technical assistance at national and regional levels in planning eye health care from a public health perspective. Data collection and monitoring Using data for planning and developing a disease control strategy. 14

15. Cont… Vision “A world in which nobody is needlessly visually impaired, where those with unavoidable vision loss can achieve their full potential and where there is universal access to comprehensive eye care services.” Aim of vision 2020. To eliminate the main causes avoidable blindness by the year 2020 and to prevent the projected doubling of avoidable visual impairment between 1990 and 2020. 15

16. Cont… The objectives of VISION 2020 are: To raise the profile in key audiences of the causes of avoidable blindness and the solutions to the problem; To Advocate for and secure the necessary resources to increase prevention and treatment activities; To facilitate the planning, development and implementation of national VISION 2020 programmes in all countries. 16

17. Cont… Task Force of International NGOs, which has following members : International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Christian blind Mission (CBM) Helen Keller International ORBIS International Sight Savers International Al Noor Foundation International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies Lions Clubs International Foundation Operation Eye Sight Universal The Carter Centre 17

18. Cont… Inter-national Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB ) was launched in 1974 by Sir John Wilson. It is an inter-national non-governmental agency which has a close and complementary relationship with WHO. Both parties contribute at country and regional level according to their mandate and expertise in implementing the global initiative, human resource and infrastructure development and optimal use of available resources . 18

19. Implementation of vision 2020. It is implemented through four phases of five year plans. The first phase (started at 2000) The second phase (at 2005) The third phase (at 2010) The fourth phase ( at 2015) 19

20. The global eye health action plan 2014–2019 20 The most recent action plan was unanimously adopted by Member States at the World Health Assembly in 2013. The global eye health action plan 2014–2019 aims to reduce avoidable visual impairment as a global public health problem and to secure access to rehabilitation services for the visually impaired. It aims to reduce “prevalence of avoidable visual impairment by 25% by 2019” compared to the baseline prevalence of 2010, (285 million people were visually impaired, of whom 39 million were blind.)

21. Cont… Global Strategic approaches of Vision 2020 : pillars Disease prevention and control Human resource development Infrastructure and technology 21

22. Cont… Vision 2020 national programs Since the launch of VISION 2020 in 1999, 135 WHO Member States have participated in a VISION 2020 workshop, 107 have formed national committees, and 91 have drafted VISION 2020 national plans. 22

23. Cont… National programmes also have three main elements: Cost-effective disease control Human resource development Infrastructure and technology 23

24. Disease prevention and control Globally, WHO has identified five major blinding eye conditions, for immediate attention to achieve the goals of Vision 2020, which are: Cataract Refractive errors and low vision Trachoma Childhood blindness Onchocerciasis. 24

25. Achievements Cataract Cataract is included in most national plans for the prevention of blindness, and cataract surgical rates are increasing in many countries. Cost-effective surgical techniques have been developed and tested and are being improved continuously. Vision 2020 met significant achievements by preventing blindness due to cataract. 25

26. Achievements cont... Refractive error Of the 253 million people who are VISUALLY impaired, 124 million (49%) are VISUALLY impaired due to uncorrected refractive errors (2015). The VISION 2020 global initiative intensively promotes awareness of the extent of uncorrected refractive errors and the means for correcting them. Uncorrected refractive errors are increasingly being addressed in national plans for the prevention of blindness, and low-cost, good-quality spectacles are becoming available. 26

27. Childhood blindness Vitamin A deficiency : There are concerted global efforts to control vitamin A deficiency in children and women of child-bearing age. Training in pediatric ophthalmology is becoming more prevalent, and tertiary level child eye-care centers are being set up. 27

28. Cont... Trachoma S ince 1997, the year the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Blinding Trachoma (GET 2020) was created ; use of the SAFE strategy for eliminating the disease is increasing. GET 2020 is active at the global level. It is a public–private partnership, bringing together WHO, national coordinators, nongovernmental organizations, donors and international experts, with support from the pharmaceutical industry. 28

29. Cont... Onchocerciasis At the closure of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme in 2002, 40 million people in 11 countries had been saved from infection and eye lesions, 600 000 cases of blindness had been prevented. The prevalence of blindness and vision impairment combined  has dropped  from 4.58% in 1990 to 3.37% in 2015. 29

30. Summary on vision 2020 30 Launched on February 18,1999. Now 193 countries are committed to investing in eye care Different action plans are set and recently adopted is WHO action plan for prevention of blindness 2014-2019 135 countries participated in workshops 107 countries have formed national vision 2020 committees 91 countries have drafted national eye care plans To date the prevalence of blindness is dropping.

31. Thank you 31