News

Correct formula for Timolol Maleate 0.5% m/V eye drops

An incorrect formula for Timolol Maleate 0.5% m/V eye drops appeared in the Local Small Scale Preparation of Eye Drops manual, and the Technology Programme Committee of Vision 2020 is concerned that it may have been copied in other manuals in its incorrect form.

Please ensure that you use the correct formula, shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Correct formula for Timolol Maleate 0.5% m/V eye drops

	For 100 ml	For 500 ml
Timolol Maleate 0.5%	680 mg	3.4 g
Dihydrogen Sodium Phosphate	400 mg	2.0 g
Disodium Hydrogen Orthophosphate 2H20	1.4 g	7.0 g
Stock Solution Cetrimide 0.5%	4 ml	20 ml
Freshly distilled water	100 ml	500 ml

This manual is no longer available in its printed form, but is downloadable from the World Health Organization website (www.who.org). It now contains the correct formula.

Exchange contributions wanted

The Community Eye Health Journal would like to invite readers to submit short articles (500 words) for the Exchange section of the journal. For Issue 64 (December 2007) and Issue 65 (March 2008) we are particularly interested in experiences related to advocacy and cataract complications, respectively.

Farewell

Sue Stevens will be retiring and leaving the International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) and the Community Eye Health Journal at the end of July. She has been here since 1993, giving professional nursing input to the journal and providing educational information and resource services to eye health workers all over the world. Sue will be sorely missed and we wish her well in her future endeavours. For information please contact Jenni Sandford: jenni.sandford@lshtm.ac.uk

Acknowledgement

Many thanks to the late Dr Hans Hirsch and his family for their support to the Community Eye Health Journal over the next three years. Dr Hirsch and his wife Gertrude had a strong interest in helping those who are blind, both through education and through clinical interventions.

Meetings

The 30th annual Congress of the Ophthalmological Society of Pakistan and 4th Khyber Eye Symposium will take place in Pakistan from 22–24 February, 2008. For more information, contact Dr Tariq Farooq Babar. Email: osp_nwfp@hotmail.com

The International Conference on Prevention of avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment in South-East Asia will take place in Pasir Panjangon 5 October, 2007. For more information, contact Mr John SY Tan at cipremie@singnet.com.sg

Training

Paediatric ophthalmology fellowship

The CCBRT Hospital in Tanzania is offering a six-month fellowship in paediatric ophthalmology. Requirements: Candidates should be qualified ophthalmologists and have performed at least 500 adult cataract operations. They should also be able to demonstrate that there is a need for paediatric ophthalmology services at their place of work, and that they have been or will be given the resources to put into practice the skills that they acquire during the fellowship. Fees: US $5,000 (tuition only), board and lodging US $25 per day, expenses for necessary documents approximately US $200. No salary is paid by CCBRT to the candidate. Contact: Dr Richard Bowman, Training Director, CCBRT Hospital, PO Box 23310, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Email: richardbowman@bol.co.tz

International Centre for Eye Health

Diploma in Community Eye Health

Date: 13 February-23 May, 2008. Venue: The International Centre for Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 8 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3RE, UK. Objectives: This course is aimed at people who want to know more about the major blinding eye diseases and the VISION 2020 initiative. Participants will be expected to research and write up a strategy document outlining plans which will be instituted on return to their home country. Target audience: Eye care professionals (including ophthalmologists, optometrists, and project managers) who want to receive training in Community Eye Health, but cannot be away from their place of work for a longer training course. Scholarships: Please contact Emma Sydenham (emma.sydenham@lshtm.ac.uk) for assistance with securing funding from your home country to cover part of the course fee. Further details and admission procedures: Applications for this course are available on the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's Website: www.Lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/short/sdceh.html.

Email: ShortCourses@Lshtm.ac.uk

MSc in Community Eye Health

Date: 20 September, 2007–19 September, 2008. Venue: The International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 8 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3RE, UK.

Objectives: To equip eye health professionals with the knowledge and skills to reduce blindness and visual impairment by developing a community-oriented approach to eye health and the control of blindness, in line with the aims and objectives of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight. Target audience: Eye care professionals (including ophthalmologists, optometrists, and project managers) who have or could have leadership roles either within their governments or in the NGO sector. This course is not appropriate for people wanting training in clinical ophthalmology. Scholarships: Please contact Emma Sydenham (emma.sydenham@Lshtm.ac.uk) for assistance with securing funding from your home country to cover part of the course fee. Further details and admission procedures: Applications forth is course are available on the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's website: www.lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/masters/msceh.html and through contact with the Registry, 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP, UK. Telephone: +44 (0)20 7299 4646 Fax: +44 (0)20 7323 0638. Email: Registry@Lshtm.ac.uk

Planning for VISION 2020

Date: 9–13 July, 2007. Venue: The International Centre for Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP, UK. Objective: To familiarise participants with the goals and objectives of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight and the planning principles involved in establishing community eye health programmes. In addition to lectures about eye diseases and programme planning, participants will work in teams to develop a model for eye care interventions in their selected regions. Target audience: Ophthalmologists and eye health organisation programme managers involved in the drive to eradicate all treatable blindness globally by the year 2020. Information and admission procedures: Visit the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's website: www.Lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/short/spv.html. Email: ShortCourses@Lshtm.ac.uk

Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology (KCCO), Tanzania

For information and admission procedures for all courses listed below, visit the KCCO website (www.kcco.net) or contact Genes Mng'anya, KCCO Course Administrator. Email: genes@kcco.net

Integrating Childhood Cataract into VISION 2020 Programmes

Date: 1–5 October, 2007. Objective: To provide an understanding of the various strategies needed to improve uptake, counselling, surgery, follow-up, spectacle prescription, and low vision care for children with congenital or developmental cataract. Target audience: Ophthalmologists or managers in settings with paediatric eye care services or programme staff responsible for organising childhood blindness activities.

Community Ophthalmology Certificate

Date: 15 October-7 December, 2007. Objective: To equip eye health professionals with the skills necessary to develop, implement, and manage a VISION 2020 programme. These include disease control, planning, human resource development, management, bridging strategies, and budgeting. Target audience: Ophthalmologists, project managers, or other eye care professionals who are responsible for developing and implementing district-based VISION 2020 plans.

Bridging Communities and Eye Care Providers to Achieve VISION 2020 in Africa

Date: 12–16 November, 2007. Objective: To provide eye care programme managers with the skills necessary to develop, implement, and monitor strategies for increasing utilisation of services by the population in need. Target audience: Eye care programme managers (from government, NGOs, or service groups), trainers, and key decision makers of national prevention of blindness programmes.

Management for VISION 2020 Programme Managers

Date: 19–30 November, 2007. Objective: To provide practical (African-tested) strategies for either developing or strengthening management systems to facilitate increased efficiency, coverage, and satisfaction with eye care services. Target audience: Heads and key decision makers of VISION 2020 planning areas.

New resources available

Technology Guidelines for a District Eye Care Programme

This booklet is produced by the Technology Programme Committee of VISION 2020 to provide guidance on the type and quantity of equipment and supplies, as well as personnel, needed to set up a district eye care programme. As described in the booklet, such a programme is based on the concept of a district health service for a population of at least 500,000 and consists of a base eye unit, satellite health centres, and community-level services. The booklet contains information on ordering and stock management, and all items are cross-referenced to the Standard List for a VISION 2020 Eye Care Service Unit, which contains information on suppliers and prices.

The guidelines are available to download from www.v2020.org and www.iceh.org.uk. For printed copies, contact the International Resource Centre, International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK. Available in French and English.