Community Led Ophthalmology programs

1. RESEARCH ON OPHTHALMOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
(COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH)
PREPARED BY
EMENI OKPARA JOHUA
JUNE 2010

2. ABSTRACT
It has been boring working with the routine traditional practice of ophthalmology/surgical campaigns and
eye care infrastructure installation in health centers. Often this does not encourage community
participation/ownership of the care programs or build on local knowledge. The costs are usually expensive,
and coverage most times is poor (talking about getting to the unreached). The activities are usually
inadequate too.
The purpose of this research paper is to look into a community participatory approach which is accessible,
adaptable, cost effective and sustainable. These constitute the whole idea behind community-led
ophthalmology.

3. COMMUNITY-LED OPHTHALMOLOGY
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
 Respect local knowledge/practices and builds from there
 Places emphasizes on formation of health committees/clubs and use of volunteers
 Believes eye care program is everyone responsibility: eye specialist, nurses, midwifes, local
health workers and community members
 Believes in using peers to help others learn
 Believes eye care programs should be participatory and not trying to impose new ideologies
and technologies on people
 Proposes eye care programs should be self-sustaining
PREVENTIVE AND CURATIVE METHODOLOGIES IN COMMUNITY-LED OPHTHALMOLOGY
Preventive and curative methodologies work hand-in-hand in community-led ophthalmology. Examples
are illustrated below:
 EYE CARE PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS:
PROCEDURES:
1. Training workshop for the general students
2. Formation of eye care committee club
3. Training on basic eye care skills for the committee members. The training should be systematic
4. The committee promotes eye care education and healthy behaviours in schools
5. The committee offer eye care treatment advice when necessary
6. The committee refer identified eye problems to facilitating agency which can be health institutions
7. The facilitating agency give treatment

4.  EYE CARE PROGRAMS IN COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE
PROCEDURES:
1. Community campaign outreach. This can be combined with surgical treatment. Essence of the
campaign is to create awareness of the problems.
2. Formation of eye care health committee. Members are selected from different part of the
community-this is to ensure propercoverage. Gender mainstreaming is of high important.
3. Training on basic eye care skills for the committee members. The training should be systematic
4. The committee work hand-in-hand with primary health workers and the designated community
eye-specialist.
5. The committee carry out house to house eye care education
6. The committee ensure people adhere to healthy behaviours
7. The committee offer eye care treatment advice when necessary. Eg eye problems resulting from
bad hygiene practice and malnutrition
8. The committee refer identified eye problems to facilitating agency which can be health institutions
9. The facilitating agency give treatment
 It is important that facilitating agency provide the necessary incentives to keep the committee
motivated. T -shirt making for the committee members, consistent training and committee
representation at state/federal health event can boast morale.
 It is also important that the community health care system is functional and equipped with eye
care infrastructure. And that eye care specialist and public health are available toprovide overall
leadership and mentorship for the program.

5. BEYOUND FORMATION OF COMMITTEE
Formulation of policies at community level can also help ensure sustainable eye care programs. Examples
include:
 Policies that integrate basic eye care education into ante-natal and post-natal health care services
 Policies that integrate basic eye care education into the primary school system
 etc