To lead research project for Trachoma Elimination IAPB


The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is to lead a major new research project that aims to accelerate the elimination of trachoma. The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is an alliance of civil society organisations, corporates and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships.
Organisation: IAPB
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#KidsTakeOver Universal Children’s Day 2017

Eyezone Blog-KidsTakeOver Universal Children's Day 2017

Every 20th of November, the United Nations promotes international togetherness in spreading awareness among children worldwide and improving children’s welfare with the Universal Children’s Day. Celebrated since 1990, it is the date the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959, as well as, the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. (more…)

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Unified effort to beat trachoma

French-speaking countries in West Africa joined forces to eliminate trachoma, the world’s leading cause of infectious blindness, under a new initiative spearheaded by The Task Force’s International Trachoma Initiative (ITI). Representatives discussed funding, logistics, and supply-chain management issues around the mass drug administration of antibiotic for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem. (more…)

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Our children’s vision counts

WSD2017-Eyezone Blog

This day marks World Sight Day, and organizations from all corners of the optical industry around the world gather to make their voices count. World Sight Day (WSD) is an annual day of global awareness on blindness and vision impairment co-ordinated by IAPB under the VISION 2020 Global Initiative.

Based on a new global data report published by IAPB Vision Atlas, 253 million people are visually impaired while 89% of these people live in low- and middle-income countries. Moreover, localised and restricted environment in marginalized communities, such as ill-planned infrastructure and technological barriers, confers eye health challenges to children.  (more…)

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Genes may be responsible for sight loss

Eyezone Blog - Genes may be responsible for sight loss-compressed

In a conference held in Edinburgh titled “Eye Development and Degeneration 2017”, scientists said that they have identified chemical changes in the eye that can lead to blindness. Their findings aid understanding of a genetic condition that causes sight loss for one in 3,000 people in the UK.  (more…)

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Here comes the sun, keep your eyes safe

Eyezone Blog-Here comes the sun, keep your eyes safe

 

July is UV Safety Month

UV radiation can damage your eyes as well as your skin. Studies suggest that overexposure to UV radiation can cause eye cataracts, eye damage, and suppression of the immune system, in general. May they be your family, friends, or colleagues – everyone is equally at risk for eye damage due to overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.

The sun’s UV rays can burn the cornea of your eyes, which can result in cataracts that may ultimately cause blindness. Even short periods of exposure can lead to serious damage. (more…)

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IACLE Names Jordanian Optometrist Contact Lens Educator of the Year

Among those to receive the 2017 IACLE Contact Lens Educator of the Year Awards is Jordanian optometrist and Chairman of the optometry department at Amman Ahliyah University, Dr. Yazan Gammoh.…

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Vision loss linked to depression

The theme of World Health Day 2017 is depression. Various studies conducted by ophthalmologists and researchers show that adults with vision loss were 90 percent more likely to have clinical…

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Priorities for glaucoma care in Sub-Saharan Africa

Eyezone Blog-Priorities for glaucoma care in Sub-Saharan Africa
Applanation tonometry: accurate measurement of intraocular pressure is important in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma/ Photo credits: Gabriel Entekume

Glaucoma affects at least one in every 25 people aged 40 years and above in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It occurs as a result of the intraocular pressure (eye pressure [IOP]) being too high for the normal functioning of the optic nerve which is responsible for sight. Despite the vision loss that it causes, over half of the people with glaucoma are unaware and this is reflected in their late presentation in seeking care. (more…)

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