VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness, has become the fulcrum of all programs for control of blindness worldwide. Just like the five blind men who perceived an elephant differently, policy makers, program planners, eye care professionals and the general population (the main stake holder) have different interpretations for what VISION 2...

Introduction: Pediatric cataracts contribute a very significant proportion of avoidable blindness in children. Despite the recent advances made in pediatric cataract management, many patients may not be satisfied with their quality of life (QOL). We conducted this study to evaluate the quality of life in pseudophakic children operated both eyes for congenital or development cataract. We also as...

background avoidable mortality as an indicator for assessing the health system performance has caught the attention of researchers for a long time. in this study we aimed to compare the health system performance using this indicator in rural and urban areas of one of iran’s southern provinces.   methods all deaths (29916) which happened during 2004–2011 in bushehr province were assessed. nolte ...

OBJECTIVE To estimate the net benefit of the Gambian Eye Care Program (GECP) using a limited definition of benefits from a societal perspective. METHODS The number of cases of blindness avoided was modeled using population projections, population-based blindness survey estimates from 1986 and 1996, and reported blindness-related mortality differences. Benefits were measured as lifetime produc...

Aim: A population-based survey was conducted in Tuoketuo and Shangdu Counties in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, in the Autumn of 2010, to assess the prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment of people aged 50 years and over. Methods: Random cluster sampling was used to select 82 clusters of 50 residents in the 2 counties. Each survey team included an ophthalmologist, a ...

PURPOSE To summarize the available data on pediatric blinding disease worldwide and to present current information on childhood blindness in the United States. METHODS A systematic search of world literature published since 1999 was conducted. Data also were solicited from each state school for the blind in the United States. RESULTS In developing countries, 7% to 31% of childhood blindness...

AIM To describe the prevalence and demographic characteristics of corneal blindness in an urban and rural region of Ningxia, located in the northwest part of China. METHODS A stratified, randomized sampling procedure was employed in the study, including urban and rural area of all age group. Visual acuity, anterior segment and ocular fundus were checked. Related factor of corneal disease, inc...

Background: A prevalence survey of blindness and low vision was conducted in Oman in 2005. Here, we present the prevalence and determinants of blindness and low vision among the population ≥40 years of age. The results are then compared with those of the survey in 1997 and the changes following the ‘VISION 2020’ initiatives are assessed. Methods: The survey covered 24 randomly selected clusters...