Newly formed Ophthalmology Foundation to support global ophthalmic education
The Ophthalmology Foundation, a nonprofit successor organization of the International Council of Ophthalmology Foundation, will provide educational programs and fellowships globally, according to a press release.
The decision “was born out of a mutual decision by ICOF and the International Council of Ophthalmology to pursue separate philanthropic programming,” the release said.
The Ophthalmology Foundation’s mission is “to create opportunities for ophthalmic education around the world,” according to the release. Its website said it will have a “special focus on low-resource and underserved countries.”
“The science and practice of ophthalmology have become increasingly sophisticated, but countries designated by the World Health Organization as low-resource or underserved may not have the resources to benefit from these advances,” David E.I. Pyott, MDhc, president of the foundation’s board of directors, said in the release. “The Ophthalmology Foundation’s goal is to offer educational access across the globe, increasing training opportunities in order to develop doctors who are equipped to provide the highest caliber of care for patients whose vision is threatened or compromised, regardless of geography or income levels.”
The education provided by the foundation will include programs and fellowships, resources for ophthalmic educators, continuing education, professional development, networking and the Ophthalmic Education Consortium, which is “a collaboration between ophthalmic educators and national or supranational ophthalmic societies.”
The organization will also work with the International Ophthalmological Fellowship Foundation to continue international fellowships, the release said.
Reference:
- Mission. Ophthalmology Foundation website. https://ophthalmologyfoundation.org/about/mission-vision-values/. Accessed March 16, 2021.
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