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Do your part to fight preventable blindness
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I recently had the pleasure of attending the World Council of Optometry and Vision 2000 Joint Symposium in Cape Town, South Africa. While lecturing for our African colleagues, I learned a great deal about their continent, their culture and their professional struggles.
Indeed, South Africa is a country of hospitable people and breathtaking landscapes. It’s also a country of profound change. In this post-apartheid era, South Africans are welcoming much anticipated changes in their political, socioeconomic and cultural infrastructures. Unfortunately, progress can be slow – and frustrating. In some respects, much of the same can be said for optometry in Africa.
Paralleling South Africa, America
Certainly, there are parallels between South African and American optometry. We all continually strive for education and expanded practice scope — the means by which to better serve our patients. Likewise, we all wrestle with integrating new technology, such as diagnostic instruments, refractive surgery, treatment options and the Internet. In fact, we even share the same challenges associated with managed care. By all indications, it appears as though our South African colleagues deal with many of the same issues as do we. However, our colleagues on the African continent face a far bigger challenge than we’ve ever known: preventable blindness.
Undoubtedly, African nations rank among the highest worldwide in terms of preventable blindness. Conditions such as cataract, trachoma, river blindness, childhood blindness and uncorrected refractive error are endemic to many African nations. It’s not that optometry and ophthalmology fail to recognize the magnitude of these conditions. The problem is that many governments do not – or cannot – adequately appropriate for public education, accessible facilities, medical supplies or manpower. Additionally, much of the at-risk populace is not even aware of what’s available or how to access it.
WHO launches Vision 2020
Fortunately, change is underway. The World Health Organization – with the support of professional optometry, ophthalmology and numerous philanthropic organizations – has launched a worldwide initiative called Vision 2020. Vision 2020’s goal is simple: minimize preventable blindness worldwide by 2020. Accomplishing this objective is a huge undertaking, and optometry’s involvement is essential. Around the world optometry’s expertise in education, diagnosis, treatment or visual restoration of patients with cataract, trachoma, vitamin A deficiency, neonatal conjunctivitis or uncorrected ametropia is paramount. Indeed, our African colleagues are in the forefront of this effort, having already initiated programs addressing preventable blindness.
So, the next time you lament the hassles of managed care or a recalcitrant ocular condition, remember that the stakes could be a lot higher. Also, remember that every little bit helps. Make a contribution. Volunteer. Do it for optometry. Do it for our colleagues in developing nations. But mostly, do it for those who fall victim to preventable blindness.