eye and vision care worldwide Robert Chappell OBE MPhil DSc FCOptom Past President Chairman Legislation Registration and Standards Committee The World Council of Optometry 3 What is WCO An international optometric association of over 90 member ID: 626886
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Enhancing and developing
eye and vision care worldwideSlide2
Robert Chappell
OBE MPhil DSc FCOptom
Past President
Chairman Legislation Registration and Standards Committee
The World Council of OptometrySlide3
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What is WCO?
An international optometric association of over 90 member
organisations, representing over 100,000 optometrists,
across six world regions.
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Our vision
Our vision is of a world where high quality eye health and vision care is accessible to all people.
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Our mission
To facilitate the enhancement and development of eye and vision care worldwide via education, policy development and humanitarian outreach.
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WHO 2007
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Why does blindness prevention need our attention?
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The basics
285 million blind or visually impaired
39 million blind
80% of blindness is avoidable -treatable or preventable, in a cost-effective manner
Nine in 10 blind persons live in low income countries
Source: WHO, 2012
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Cataract
5%
Glaucoma
18%
Other
4%
ARMD
50%
Ch Bl
3%
DR
17%
CO
3%
Cataract
50 %
Trachoma
4 %
Glaucoma
12%
Oncho 0.8 %
Other
14 %
ARMD
6%
Ch Bl 4%
DR 4%
CO 5%
More Developed
Countries
Less Developed
Countries
©
WHO 2006
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Global distribution of blindness by cause
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The basics – refractive error
153 million visually impaired
Vision <6/18
8 million functionally blind
517 million unable to read
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©
Pascolini D and
Mariotti, 2011
Global Causes of Visual Impairment
(Including Blindness) -2010
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A costly problem
Higher costs of treating and managing diseases at a late stage
Lost earnings for the visually impaired and caregivers
Lower quality of life in social, economic, health and cultural terms
Annual global impact of avoidable blindness and low vision $42 billion
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A containable problem
Of the 39 million blind worldwide, 17 million could be cured by a 15-minute, 50-dollar cataract operation with a 98% success rate
Blindness is not limited by age, socio-economic status or gender
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A manageable problem
Some blinding diseases and conditions result from poor sanitation and inadequate nutrition
The leading causes of avoidable blindness are cataract, refractive error, onchocerciasis, trachoma and vitamin-A deficiency
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The main gains of action
Reducing blindness is linked to improving access to educational and employment opportunities
Reducing blindness alleviates household, community and national poverty
Reducing blindness contributes to equality
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The main gains of action
The right to sight is an essential component of national development and poverty alleviation
Productivity gains from reducing visual disability would amount to a saving of US$223 billion over 20 years
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The impact
The gains would depend on an investment of just
0.23%
of the total health expenditure and
9.9%
of the expenditure on vision disorders
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The broader implications
Blindness prevention is a step towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly in terms of:
Poverty eradication and improving access to employment opportunities
Universalisation of primary education
Improving child and maternal health
Combating chronic and life-threatening diseases
Promoting gender equality
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The process
Partnerships between eye care agencies, professional bodies and government institutions
Building capacity in human resources and infrastructure within the health care delivery system
Integrating eye care into public health systems
Committing to the idea vision loss can and must be prevented through high quality, sustainable and equitable services
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The gains thus far
Significant gains in disease control
An enhanced network of training opportunities
A focus on permanent infrastructure creation
Increased awareness of blindness as an issue that has many consequences
Successful service delivery models incorporating sustainability, excellence and fairness
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The gaps
Acceptance from more governments of the idea that blindness prevention is crucial to human development
Greater government commitment in terms of financial and human resources:
To establish training
programmes
To develop infrastructure
To incorporate eye care into primary health care
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WCO’s concept of optometry
Optometry is a healthcare profession that is autonomous, educated, and regulated (licensed/registered), and optometrists are the primary healthcare practitioners of the eye and visual system who provide comprehensive eye and vision care, which includes refraction and dispensing, detection/diagnosis and management of disease in the eye, and the rehabilitation of conditions of the visual system
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WCO’s definition of an optometrist
WCO has adopted the broad competencies of dispensing, refracting, prescribing and the detection of disease/abnormality as the
minimum required for individuals
to call themselves an optometrist.
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The importance of WCO
As a global body WCO works towards:
the enhancement and development of primary eye and vision care by optometrists
the promotion of high standards of education and practice by optometrists through international coordination and networking
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Recognition of Optometry
by the World Health Organisation (WHO)
WCO is recognised and in working relations with WHO
Optometry is specifically recognised as an independent eye care profession in the 2007 Vision 2020 Action Plan
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The importance of WCO
the support of
programmes
directed at the provision of eye and vision care to countries in need
the promotion of the advancement of the science of optometry
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WCO is making a difference
Education
Global issues,
practice modes
teaching
Policy and legislation
Policy development
Optometry
development
Legal frameworks
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WCO is making a difference
Humanitarian outreach
World Optometry Foundation (WOF)
Optometry Giving Sight (OGS)
Strategic Partnerships
World Health Organization (WHO)
International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)
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WCO membership benefits
Organisations members of WCO benefit from:
Participating in a global community committed to enhancing eye and vision care worldwide
Access to a worldwide optometric network of knowledge, expertise and influence
Having a united global voice for optometry as a key health sector profession
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WCO membership benefits
Access to knowledge sharing platforms (conferences) where global optometric issues are discussed
Regular members’ communications and updated information
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WCO membership benefits
Access to financial support
Setting world standards
Influence and action
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Questions
www.worldoptometry.org