Public Health Research
It is through research studies that we know uncorrected refractive error is the leading cause of vision impairment globally and the second leading cause of blindness
How does research help us provide eye care services?
Our research helps to quantify the nature and extent of vision impairment as well as the associated economic and quality of life impacts. This valuable information also guides program priorities and development strategies.
Once programs are established, ongoing research evaluating the effectiveness of our methods and the scale of our impact, feeds into subsequent designs and improves eye care outcomes worldwide, thereby reducing poverty and suffering.
This includes engagement with communities where studies are undertaken to ensure initiatives are appropriate for each context.
Once programs are established, ongoing research evaluating the effectiveness of our methods and the scale of our impact, feeds into subsequent designs and improves eye care outcomes worldwide, thereby reducing poverty and suffering.
This includes engagement with communities where studies are undertaken to ensure initiatives are appropriate for each context.
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What does our research focus on?
Our research builds our knowledge of vision impairment in different locations and evaluates every program we implement. Study types include:
Epidemiology
- Rapid assessment of refractive errors (RARE) studies
- Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) studies
- Refractive error studies in children (RESC)
PNG has one of the highest rates of blindness in the
world
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Health economics
Quality of life and productivity gains followOperational research
Mzuzu University graduates report onQualitative research
Health promotion in schools improves eye healthLocations and Studies
- Argentina
(Presbyopia study) - Colombia
(Prevalence of uncorrected refractive error among children) - Colombia
(Prevalence of uncorrected refractive error, presbyopia and spectacle coverage) - Eritrea
(RARE) - Ghana
(RESC, RARE) - Mozambique
(RAAB)
- Nicaragua
(Presbyopia study) - Papua New Guinea
(Trachoma mapping) - South Africa
(RARE, RAAB) - Tanzania
(RARE) - Uganda
(RARE) - Vietnam
(RESC)
- Nigeria (Benefits of integrated school eye health vs vertical school eye health program)
- South Africa (War on poverty study, work productivity study)
- South Africa (Presbyopia study, work productivity study)
- Australia
(Models of vision care study) - Australia
(Regional models and workforce training) - Cambodia
(Vision centre effectiveness study) - Cambodia (Assessment of refraction training)
- Nigeria
(Cataract outcomes study) - Malawi
(Education evaluation) - Mozambique
(Education evaluation)
- Papua New Guinea
(Vision centre effectiveness study) - Papua New Guinea
(Low vision services assessment) - Sri Lanka
(Vision centre effectiveness study) - Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya
(East Africa child eye health monitoring exercise) - Vietnam
(Optometry development) - Vietnam
(Education evaluation, comparative assessment)
- Australia
(Patient experience of eye health services) - China
(Patient experiences of screening services) - Cambodia
(Access to services, willingness to pay) - Malawi
(World Bank spectacle compliance study) - Malawi
(Spectacle uptake survey in vision centres)
- Nigeria
(World Bank spectacle compliance study) - Papua New Guinea (KAP, QoL)
- South Africa (QoL)
- Vietnam (KAP)
"Uncorrected vision impairment is a major public health issue. The prevalence of both myopia (short-sightedness) and presbyopia (aging sight) are increasing dramatically worldwide. Research is critical in guiding how we effectively address these challenges. Work productivity studies indicate the economic value for employers and may influence them investing in correcting their staff’s vision"
Global figures and statistics
- 124 million people are vision impaired due to distance uncorrected refractive error1
- A further 826 million people vision impairment from uncorrected presbyopia (an age-related difficulty of focusing on near objects)2
- Hence, a total of 850 million people are blind or vision impaired simply because they don’t have access to an eye examination and appropriate spectacles1,2
- 80% of all vision impairment globally is considered avoidable3
- 90% of vision impaired people live in low and middle-incoume countries3
- Vision impairment from uncorrected myopia cost the global economy US$244 billion in lost productivity in 20154
References
- Flaxman et al. Global causes of blindness and distance vision impairment 1990–2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Global Health. Published online October 11, 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30393-5
- Fricke TR, Tahhan N, Resnikoff S, et al. Global Prevalence of Presbyopia and Vision Impairment from Uncorrected Presbyopia. Ophthalmology 2018;125(10):1492–9.
- World Health Organization. Universal eye health A global action plan 2014-2019. (2013).
- Naidoo KS, Fricke TR, Frick KD, et al. Potential Lost Productivity Resulting from the Global Burden of Myopia: Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Modeling. Ophthalmology. 2019 Mar;126(3):338-346. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2018.10.029. Epub 2018 Oct 17.