One Student One Family and the Mozambique Eyecare Project, the Interaction Between Optometry Students and the Community in Nampula, Mozambique

This paper aims to explore the successes and challenges of the One Student One Family Programme within the context of the Mozambique Eyecare Project

Primary School Vision Screening Involving Teachers in Nampula, Mozambique

Purpose: There is no plan for a national child eye care programme or existing human resource infrastructure to address the immediate challenge of child eye health in Mozambique.This study aims to design, implement and evaluate a school based pediatric vision screening service, to identify those in need of eye care services, among Mozambique’s 11,561,000 children. Methods: Primary School Screening took place in three schools in Nampula, Mozambique in September 2010 and March 2011. The children’s vision was screened by an optometry student, optometrist or teacher with Log MAR ETDRS letters at 4 Meters. Ophthalmoscopy was performed on all children by qualified optometrists. Children requiring refraction were refracted on site, those needing ophthalmological assessment were referred to the ophthalmologist in Nampula Central Hospital. Results: 770 children were screened in total. The ocular abnormality detection rate was 10.65%, and included 7.40% of children requiring spectacle provision, and the remaining 3.25% requiring referral to the Ophthalmology Unit. The distribution of myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism among children provided spectacles was 28.57%, 12.5% and 58.93% respectively, and overall prevalence in the study sample was 2.21%, 0.91% and 4.29% respectively. Referrals for ocular health abnormalities included, cataract (26.92%), ptosis (23.08%), glaucoma (15.38%). All teachers interviewed are eager to participate in a vision screening programme. Two Primary School Teachers were trained in vision screening. Teachers scored 100% case detection agreement with optometrists and student optometrists, with no noted false positive or false negative referrals. Conclusions: Teachers appear to have an adequate level of education and interest to undertake vision screening in children. This study will inform a regional pilot teacher screening project for Nampula, which will include the addition of “Vision Screening” to teacher training modules at Universidade Pedagogica, Nampula, as part of a plan to develop a national child eye care programme for Mozambique

Optical products for refractive error and low vision

This article will focus on the optical products required for the efficient delivery of refractive error and low vision services, and provide insight into how they can be managed effectively to ensure a quality service. You can consult the IAPB Standard List (see page 30) for suggestions regarding the optical products you may require at your facility as well as recommended suppliers

The Mozambique Eyecare Project: Implementing a Model That Addresses Uncorrected Refractive Error in Lusophone Africa.

BACKGROUND Optometric education and resources are drastically deficient in most of Africa, more so in Lusophone Africa where the problem is compounded by language barriers which isolate these countries from related developments in Africa and/or the developed world. The Mozambique Eyecare Programme is a multi-partner collaboration between The International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE), Universidade Lúrio in Mozambique, Technological University Dublin, and the University of Ulster in Ireland, designed to address the need for optometric education in Lusophone Africa. AIM This paper aims to document the current situation with regards to human resource development in eyecare in Mozambique and offer analysis of the status and challenges facing the only programme addressing the problem of uncorrected refractive error and low vision in Lusophone Africa through education. METHODS The extent of uncorrected refractive error and existing optometric services in Nampula Province will be extrapolated from the results from a Rapid Assessment of Refractive Error and a situational analysis. The challenges faced by the Mozambique Eyecare Programme will be analysed using results from a baseline survey of students, key informant interviews and analysis of optometric resources available that are published in Portuguese. RESULTS The research into the implementation of the Mozambique Eyecare Programme is ongoing. Results are currently unavailable, but relevant data and analyses emerging from current research within the next 6 months will be presented at the conference. CONCLUSION Human resource development for refractive service delivery in Lusophone Africa is key to the achievement of VISION 2020 goals in this region. Innovative models of education need to take into account the local need, legislative boundaries and situational constraints in order to successfully achieve desired outcomes within specified timeframes

From the Editor’s Desk

No abstract availabl

The prevalence and causes of vision loss in Indigenous Australians: the National Indigenous Eye Health Survey

Aim: To determine the prevalence and causes of vision loss in Indigenous Australians. Design, setting and participants: A national, stratified, random cluster sample was drawn from 30 communities across Australia that each included about 300 Indigenous people of all ages. A sample of non-Indigenous adults aged 40 years was also tested at several remote sites for comparison. Participants were examined using a standardised protocol that included a questionnaire (self-administered or completed with the help of field staff), visual acuity (VA) testing on presentation and after correction, visual field testing, trachoma grading, and fundus and lens photography. The data were collected in 2008. Main outcome measures: VA; prevalence of low vision and blindness; causes of vision loss; rates of vision loss in Indigenous compared with non-Indigenous adults. Results: 1694Indigenouschildrenand1189Indigenousadultswereexamined, representing recruitment rates of 84% for children aged 5–15 years and 72% for adults aged 40 years. Rates of low vision (VA \u3c 6/12 to 6/60) were 1.5% (95% CI, 0.9%–2.1%) in children and 9.4% (95% CI, 7.8%–11.1%) in adults. Rates of blindness (VA \u3c 6/60) were 0.2% (95% CI, 0.04%–0.5%) in children and 1.9% (95% CI, 1.1%–2.6%) in adults. The principal cause of low vision in both adults and children was refractive error. The principal causes of blindness in adults were cataract, refractive error and optic atrophy. Relative risks (RRs) of vision loss and blindness in Indigenous adults compared with adults in the mainstream Australian population were 2.8 and 6.2, respectively. By contrast, RRs of vision loss and blindness in Indigenous children compared with mainstream children were 0.2 and 0.6, respectively. Conclusion: Many causes of vision loss in our sample were readily avoidable. Better allocation of services and resources is required to give all Australians equal access to eye health services

HUBUNGAN ANTARA VITAMIN A DAN PENCAHAYAAN TERHADAP TERJADINYA ASTIGMAT

Background :Astigmat optically is a refractive condition in which a point object is generated as a baying point by an optical system. While astigmat according to the conditions and the literal is within the optical system is not "dot-shaped". Factors related to the occurrence of patients Astigmat is, Descendants, Lighting, Pattern Food Vitamins A, Generation / Age, Visibility, Work, And Ultraviolet On Sun. Objective:Due to cost and time constraints. The authors simply take Vitamin A and lighting on the incidence Astigmat. Methode:This research method using analytic survey with cross sectional approach with a population of 37 respondents, the number of samples taken from the total population. Results of univariate, bivariate and staitsik chi-square test showed no significant correlation between vitamin A with the astigmat with p value 0.000 <0.05, there is a significant relationship between exposure to the astigmat with p value 0,000 <0,05. Suggestion:It is suggested to the leadership determine the policy to develop health services, especially to astigmat as well as in providing a detailed explanation. Keywords: Occurrence Astigmat,Vitamin A, lightin

Religion and development: Australian faith-based development organisations

Faith plays a crucial role in development, yet ‘faith-based’ organisations (FBOs) continue to face ambivalence towards their religiosity and how it may impact upon the development work they do. As a result they have undergone structural changes to ameliorate the pressures arising from mainly government related outcome oriented funding structures. This also relates to the dual role FBO legitimacy plays ensuring both public donations at home and successful outcomes in the recipient country. FBOs have significant advantages over secular organisations in their ability to harness moral will at home and abroad as well as tap into transnational religious networks and local communities in aid recipient countries. Australian faith based organisations involved in international development are a diverse and under-researched category that is difficult to define. Thus this paper seeks to make inroads into this group of organisations to better understand them and their missions, the challenges they pose to development and the challenges they face in development. By Gerhard Hoffstaedter, La Trobe University, with research assistance by Sarah Hunt. This working paper is funded under the Universities- Linkage Project, co-chaired by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and the Institute for Human Security at La Trobe Universit

Estudio refractivo en poblaciones periféricas de la ciudad de La Plata y accesibilidad al sistema sanitario

El presente trabajo tiene por objetivo determinar los defectos refractivos de pobladores de barrios periféricos de la ciudad de La Plata, provincia de Buenos Aires. Para esto se estudió una población de 793 personas en el 2007 y de 449 en 2008, sin discriminación por edad ni sexo. En ambos casos, más del 50% correspondieron a defectos refractivos no corregidos indicando que un alto porcentaje de la población sufre de diferentes grados de discapacidad visual, señalando la necesidad de aumentar la accesibilidad en atención visual primaria. Objetivo general: conocer la problemática de la Salud Visual en barrios periféricos de la ciudad de La Plata, que por diversos motivos no tienen acceso al sistema de salud pública. Evaluar posibles factores que generan esta problemática y dar solución a los problemas refractivos detectados.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status 2018

This latest Summary of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health provides an up-to-date, plain language summary of the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-specific information on: population births deaths common health conditions key health risk and protective factors. The Summary has been prepared by the HealthInfoNet as part of its effort to help \u27close the gap\u27 by providing the evidence base to inform practice and policy in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. The Summary aims to make this information available to all people, including those without a specialised knowledge of the health field. This year we are pleased to present our new-look Summary. This Summary uses a range of visual aids to assist readers to quickly and easily understand the data presented throughout. This Summary is based on the Overview of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status, 2018