The unprecedented partnership for onchocerciasis control that followed Merck's decision to donate Mectizan has inspired the formation of a global initiative for the elimination of all avoidable blindness by the year 2020. 'Vision 2020, the Right to Sight', jointly co-ordinated by the World Health Organization's Programme for the Prevention of Blindness and Deafness and the International Agency ...

Daar is vier biljoen mense in die wêreld. Veertig miljoen van hulle is blind. As die verhouding tussen bevolkingsaanwas en blindheid nie verm inder nie, sal die syfer teen die einde van die eeu verdubbel wees. Ten minste 80% van die wêreld se blindheid kom voor in die ontwikkelende lande van A sië, Afrika en Latyns-Am erika. Die Internasionale Agentskap vir die Voorkom ing van Blindheid (I .A ....

Blindness and visual impairment have far-reaching implications for society, the more so when it is realized that 80% of visual disability is avoidable. The marked increase in the size of the elderly population, with their greater propensity for visually disabling conditions, presents a further challenge in this respect. However, if available knowledge and skills were made accessible to those co...

OBJECTIVES To conduct rapid assessments of avoidable blindness to estimate the magnitude and causes of blindness in people aged >/=50 years in Negros Island and Antique district, Philippines. METHODS Clusters of 50 people aged >/=50 years were sampled with probability proportionate to size. Households within clusters were selected through compact segment sampling. Visual acuity (VA) was measu...

BACKGROUND The causes of Blindness vary from place to place with about 80% of it been avoidable. Furthermore Blind people face a lot of challenges in career choice thus limiting their economic potential and full integration into the society. This study aims at identifying the causes of blindness and career choice among pupils in a school for the blind in South -Western Nigeria. MATERIALS AND ...

OBJECTIVES To estimate the prevalence of avoidable blindness in > or =50-year-olds in Nakuru district, Kenya, and to evaluate the Rapid Assessment for Avoidable Blindness (RAAB), a new methodology to measure the magnitude and causes of blindness. DESIGN Cross-sectional population-based survey. PARTICIPANTS Seventy-six clusters of 50 people 50 years or older were selected by probability prop...

BACKGROUND/AIM Blindness in the developed countries affects 3.5 million people. This study was conducted on the causes of blindness in the Republic of Ireland based on the register of the National Council for the Blind of Ireland. The aim was to determine the prevalence of potentially avoidable blindness and to identify its causes. METHOD Criteria for registration as blind are in Ireland: bes...