Africa makes strides in tackling blinding eye diseases: highlights of annual conference

Introduction The 9th Annual Scientific Conference of the College of Ophthalmology of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (COECSA) was held at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe, Malawi in September 2022. The meeting was hosted by the Ophthalmological Society...

Life as a Global Citizen Consultant Ophthalmologist: a personal view of working in Scotland and Tanzania

Global Citizen post - a new challenge I was looking for a new challenge. I had been in the same consultant post with a subspecialty interest in paediatrics and strabismus for 17 years and was rattling around in an empty...

The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health: vision beyond 2020

Introduction The Lancet Global Health Commission on Global Eye Health was published in 2021 [1]. Drawing on expertise from within and outside the eye health sector, the Commission set out to: inform governments and other stakeholders about the path forward...

Glaucoma-NET: a novel way of improving glaucoma management in sub-Saharan Africa

Background Glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness worldwide [1]. People with untreated glaucoma suffer from irreversible, progressive loss of sight. The disease is characterised by progressive loss of visual field, with pathological cupping of the optic disc...

Preventing blindness from diabetes: planning a programme of service development and research across Malawi

In sub-Saharan Africa 19.4 million people have diabetes; this is projected to rise to 28.6 million by 2030 [1]. Sight loss from diabetes devastates the lives of working people, affecting the financial stability of the families and communities who depend...

Developing a training model to strengthen diabetic retinopathy screening through a VISION 2020 LINK in India

I. Development of LINK Partnership A VISION 2020 LINK India was established by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2018 between the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust and...