Eye Health
Helen Keller Intl is dedicated to making clear vision a reality for those who are the most vulnerable to diseases of the eyes and lack access to quality eye care. Worldwide, 36 million people are blind, most of whom live in poverty. Eighty percent of this blindness could have been prevented. In addition, more than 217 million children and adults have low vision. In all, 253 million people globally are blind or severely visually impaired. To prevent blindness, Helen Keller Intl treats cataract, refractive error, and diabetic retinopathy in the developing world.
Quality Cataract Outcomes. Helen Keller places a premium on undertaking quality eye health work. Read more on the research Heller Keller experts have participated in to improve the outcomes of cataract surgery:
- Assessment of cataract surgical outcomes in settings where follow-up is poor: PRECOG, a multicenter observational study. Lancet Global Health (2013)
- Factors Influencing the Output of Rural Cataract Surgical Facilities in China: The SHARP Study. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (2015)
Trends in Child Visual Acuity in China. Read more to learn about the long-term trend towards deteriorating vision in children living in China and how this may be the result of environmental changes such as increased schooling intensity and urbanization:
- Increases in the prevalence of reduced visual acuity and myopia in Chinese children in Guangzhou over the past 20 years. Eye (Lond) (2013)
Integrating Eye Health and Nutrition. In most developing countries, there are grossly insufficient human and financial resources to adequately staff and support public health efforts in many areas, especially in eye health and nutrition. In order to bridge this gap, opportunities for integration of our efforts in eye health and nutrition that utilize complementary program platforms need to be fully explored to build synergies and improve cost-effectiveness. Read more on these promising opportunities for collaboration between the nutrition and eye health sectors:
- Pursuing a Common Vision: Opportunities for Collaboration Between the Eye Health and Nutrition Sectors. Sight and Life Magazine (2010)