Africa - Giving Sight to Blind Children
The Challenge
Imagine being a child in school and not being able to see. Imagine having to continually bother your friends and annoy your teachers by asking what is on the chalkboard. You are labeled “blind.” You are labeled a “trouble-maker”.
But all you really needed is an eye examination and a pair of high-powered glasses.
This occurs every day to hundreds of thousands of children all over the world, but especially in Africa. Emmanuel is one such person discovered during a program by Sightsavers International (SSI) and the International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE) in Malawi. SSI and ICEE optometrists found that of 120 children in a program for the blind, only seven of them were actually blind. Even more surprising was that 36 of them were found to simply need glasses and 52 of them just needed low vision devices to help them see.
How does this happen - children who aren’t blind being treated as blind?
The number one problem is lack of eye care personnel who can do a complicated refraction. The second major problem is having the resources in each Country that can manufacture and provide these complicated prescriptions at affordable prices. An ‘Optishop’ model is currently being assessed to provide this much needed infrastructure.
The lack of access to quality eye care services in Africa means that the majority of children in these integrated education programs for blind children should not be there. With the proper eye care, they can participate in regular school programs, reserving the limited resources of these programs for those who really need it.
Vision is a significant part of learning. Improving children’s access to proper vision care will maximize their life opportunities.
The Optometry Giving Sight Answer
This problem is prevalent throughout Africa. Optimal vision for children in similar programs in Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia is the immediate target. Sustainable programs in these countries need to be developed to address the problem and prevent this situation from recurring.
The Project will be implemented in three phases. The first phase involves screening of all children in blindness programs and providing the appropriate glasses and low vision devices, as well as referrals for other eye conditions. Phase one will cost US$200,000 in each of the five countries
Phase two includes a training program for teachers already trained for integrated education programs and development of local eye care personnel to provide ongoing vision care services. The program aims to increase the knowledge and capacity of these teachers to carry out visual screenings and to introduce and/or increase the number of eye care professionals capable of meeting the needs of these children and instituting proper, timely vision care.
The final phase of the project will be to establish the infrastructure to ensure accessible and affordable glasses and low vision devices for all those who need them.
Partners:
SightSavers International (SSI)
International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE)
World Council of Optometry (WCO)
African Ministries of Health and Education
