News and notices

News

World Sight Day

World Sight Day 2007 will highlight blindness and visual impairment in children as a major public health issue around the world. For more information, go to www.v2020.org

Technology publications available

The Standard List for a VISION 2020 Eye Care Service Unit contains information about the medicines, equipment, instruments, optical supplies, and educational resources needed to set up a VISION 2020 service delivery unit, typically serving a population of 500,000 to 1 million. For each item listed, it gives guidance on price and the contact details of the suppliers.

The Technology Guidelines for a District Eye Care Programme builds on the information in the Standard List to provide guidance on the quantities of equipment, pharmaceuticals, etc., needed at each level of a district programme. The guidelines are also available in French.

These publications can be downloaded from www.iceh.org.uk and www.v2020.org. CD-ROMs and print versions can be obtained from the International Centre for Eye Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK. Fax: +44 20 7958 8325.

World Congress on Refractive Error presentations

The presentations given at the first World Congress on Refractive Error, held in Durban in March this year, have recently been made available online. www.icee.org/events/congress_video/index.asp

VISION 2020 workshop held in London

A total of 27 participants from 13 countries attended the annual ‘Planning forVISION 2020’ workshop held by the International Centre for Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in July. The main aim of the workshop was 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, the participants worked in teams to develop a model for eye care interventions in their selected regions. To apply for future short courses, email: shortcourses@Lshtm.ac.uk

Meetings

All India Ophthalmological Society 66th Annual Conference, 31 January to3 February, 2008, Bangalore, India. For more information, email santhangopal@gmail.com or write to KS Santhan Gopal, #81, first floor, 7th Cross, 4th Block Koramangala, Near BDA complex, Bangalore 560 034, India.

World Congress on Optometric Globalisation, 11–13 April, 2008, London, UK. For more information, email the World Council of Optometry at wco@pco.edu or fax +1 (0)215 780-1325.

Unite For Sight Fifth Annual International Health & Eye Care Conference, 12–13 April, 2008, Connecticut, USA. For more information, visit www.uniteforsight.org/conference/2008 or write to Unite For Sight, 31 Brookwood Drive, Newtown, CT 06470, USA.

World Ophthalmology Congress, 28 June–2 July, 2008, Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.woc2008hongkong.org or write to Angela Cho, Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 3/F, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, 147K Argyle Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

IAPB General Assembly, 25–28 August, 2008, Buenos Aires, Argentina. For more information, write to Louis Pizzarello, Secretary General, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, IAPB Central Office, LV Prasad Eye Institute, LV Prasad Marg, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad 500 034, India.

Training

International Centre for Eye Health, London, UK

For application information, email registry@Lshtm.ac.uk or write to Registry, 50 Bedford Square, London WC1E 7HT, UK.

Short course in Tropical Ophthalmology

Date: 9–11 April, 2008. Objectives: The primary purpose of the course will be to familiarise participants with the main causes of blindness in the world, with emphasis on the tropics. Target audience: Ophthalmologists from high-income countries. More information: Visit www.Lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/short/sto.html

Planning for VISION 2020

Date: July 2008. Objectives: The main aim of the workshop is 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 at regional or national level. Target audience: Ophthalmologists and eye health charity programme managers. More information: Visit www.lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/short/spv.html

MSc in Community Eye Health

Date: 29 September, 2008 to 18 September, 2009. Objectives: To equip eye health professionals with the knowledge and skills to reduce blindness and visual disability in their own country. Target audience: Eye care professionals 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: Contact Emma Sydenham (emma.sydenham@Lshtm.ac.uk) for information. Please apply in October 2007 to ensure you are accepted before the scholarship closing dates in December 2007. Information and admission procedures: Visit www.Lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/masters/msceh.html or email registry@Lshtm.ac.uk

Diploma in Community Eye Health

Date: 13 February to 23 May, 2008. Objectives: To equip eye health professionals with knowledge of the major blinding eye diseases and the VISION 2020 initiative. Target audience: Eye care professionals who want to receive training in community eye health, but cannot be away from their place of work for a longer training course. Scholarships: Contact Emma Sydenham (emma.sydenham@Lshtm.ac.uk) for information. Information and admission procedures: Visit www.Lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/short/sdceh.html or email shortcourses@Lshtm.ac.uk

Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology (KCCO), Tanzania

For information and admission procedures, visit the KCCO website (www.kcco.net) or contact Genes Mng’anya, KCCO Course Administrator. Email: genes@kcco.net

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.