In Sight

In-depth research and training of paediatric ophthalmology eye care teams can strengthen the fight against childhood blindness.

“Nearly 1.4 million children across the globe are victims of blindness. At least 50 per cent of these children are needlessly visually challenged – in these cases it could have been avoided. Each child has a right to sight,” said Dr Aravind Chandna,senior consultant,Alder Hey Childrens Hospital,UK. Dr Chandna was in the city recently to train members at the H V Desai Eye Hospital to help them combat childhood blindness.

He says that combating childhood blindness has been identified as a priority area in global blindness prevention. “This is done owing to the number of years of blindness that will ensue devastating families and keeping children from contributing to their communities,” he said.

Speaking more about the problem,he added,”A child’s eye is not merely a smaller version of an adult eye and the causes of childhood blindness are very different from adult blindness. Hence,the strategies that are effective against adult blindness need to be modified in order to combat blindness in children.”

According to Dr V P Andurkar,director,Medical Administration,PBMAS HV Desai Eye Hospital,the four-day workshop was organised to bring in quality in paediatric eye care. Chandna has been conducting such programmes free of cost in Africa,Pakistan and many other countries. “In India,we plan to have this skill transfer at seven centers all over the country, Chandna said as he interacted with the paediatric eye care team lead by Dr Nikhil Rishikeshi. He also presented the HV Desai Eye Hospital equipment worth Rs 6 lakh.

Committed to improving childrens eye care services,Chandna set up an international charitable organisation Vision4Children (V4C) in January 2008 to help the fight against childhood blindness. Working with a dedicated team of trustees,V4C hopes to contribute to a parent support group,carry out high quality research in treatable blinding conditions in children and teach and train paediatric ophthalmology eye care teams.

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