Eye health is everyone's responsibility: China's first Western-style eye hospital improves in the prevention of blindness

AIM: To investigate the relationship between China's first Western-style eye hospital development and the prevention of blindness in China and determine the main factor influencing eye health today. METHODS: Data about eye health, blindness and cataract surgery rate of China from public website of World Health Organization (WHO), ORBIS International, Ministry of Health (MOH) of China, Pubmed center and Historical Archives of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (ZOC) were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: ZOC is China's first Western-style eye hospital. In 2012, the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital has chosen ZOC once again as one of its destinations, 30 years after ORBIS expanded internationally to train eye care professionals and treat underserved patients in developing countries in 1982. During the past 30 years, cataract surgery rate and public awareness of blindness prevention were improved greatly in China, in which ZOC plays a very important role. CONCLUSION: ZOC, as China's first Western-style eye hospital,has improved in the prevention of blindness. Eye health has become everyone’s responsibility.

Poverty and Eye Health

Poverty and eye health, including vision disability from vision impairment and blindness, are believed to be interrelated. The relationship between poverty and eye health can be interpreted as being two-fold, in the sense that poverty may be a cause of poor eye health and poor eye health may lead to or deepen poverty. Evidence shows that the burden of vision impairment is high in poor people and vision impairment and poverty are linked to each other. However the empirical evidence to answer the questions—Does poverty perpetuate poor eye health? How and why? Does poor eye health deepen poverty?—is sparse globally;especially from low and middle income countries (LMICs). This article therefore aims to examine published information and other secondary data sources that provide insight on the relationship between poverty and eye health, including eye disability caused from vision impairment and blindness. The article provides a conceptual understanding of poverty related attributes that contribute to eye disability from vision impairment and blindness, using evidence sourced from poverty and eye health research studies. The article interrogates general theories and beliefs that have been conceptualised in relation to the impact that the vicious cycle of poverty has on eye health and the contribution of poor eye health on an individual’s poverty status. The major outcomes of this article include: 1) identifying gaps in linking poverty and eye health, 2) establishing key issues that will assist in the development of a theoretical framework, and 3) preparing more appropriately for further investigation on the association between poverty and eye health.

Patient Satisfaction Related to Their Eye Health Examination at Lúrio University Clinic in Nampula, Mozambique during COVID-19

Introduction: Patient satisfaction is defined as the extent of agreement between what a patient expects to receive from his or her health experience and the perception of the level of care he or she actually receive. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many practices have to adapt to provide health ensuring patients’ safety in first instance. Eye care procedures may be delayed during the pandemic, so eye safety is more important than ever, and it doesn’t only focus on the examination room, all the clinic compartments must be adjusted to ensure that no patient is infected by COVID-19 within the clinic. The aim of this study was to assess the satisfaction of patients who attended the Lúrio University Clinic for eye care during COVID-19. Material and Methods: This is a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted from December 30th, 2020 to April 30th, 2021. A systematic random sampling method was used to enrol 173 participants. Data were collected using an identification form and the patient satisfaction survey. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Lúrio University Bioethical Committee review board, and informed consent term was also received from the participants before data collection. Results: 173 participants (84 women, 48.6% and 89 men, 51.4%) completed the survey with the mean age of 31.14 and standard deviation of ±14.6 years. We found that 98.3% of the participants were satisfied (63.6% satisfied and 34.7% extremely satisfied) with the eye care provided in Lúrio University Clinic. Conclusion: Most of the patients were satisfied with the eye health examination provided in Lúrio University clinic, thus the directions for future research of the study are now opened.

Benefits of Aronia melanocarpa Elliot in Eye Protection

This paper reviews the main benefits of Aronia melanocarpa Elliot for eye health,focusing on its antioxidant protection,prevention of visual deterioration,reduction of inflammation,improvement of blood circulation,protection of the retina,and immunity enhancement.Based on the existing studies,the application of A.melanocarpa Elliot in the field of eye health is promising and deserves further research and promotion.

The Research on the Paths of Popular Science Education about Myopia Prevention and Control among College Students in the Context of Shifting the Focus Forward

Currently, the number of myopic people in China has reached as high as 600 million, and it shows a trend of “early onset, high incidence, and a high degree of severity”. The issue of myopia among children and adolescents has attracted widespread attention from all sectors of society. Comprehensive myopia prevention and control efforts have been launched nationwide. Popular science education, vision screening, and improving visual environments are effective measures for preventing myopia. However, among the target audience for comprehensive myopia prevention and control, the preschool children group has been neglected, and the work of myopia prevention and control for this group has been significantly weakened and marginalized. Due to insufficient awareness of prevention and control, the hyperopia reserve in the preschool children group is being continuously depleted, leading to the early onset of myopia. In light of this situation, the focus of myopia prevention and control needs to shift forward, and it is worth exploring and pondering how college students with a background in optometry can develop entertaining and engaging popular science education materials and methods.

Deposition of nanoparticles on school eyeglasses in urban and rural areas:A methodology for a more real assessment of the possible impacts

Because incomplete confirmation is available concerning the influential role of atmosphere contamination on conjunctivitis,myopia,asthma,and allergic rhinitis in Brazil,the focus of the present work is to explore the possible relations among atmosphere contamination and eye problems.Rather that a case study on eye diseases,by way of questionnaires supplemented by the investigation of nanoparticles(NPs)on eyeglasses,the study examines the mechanisms in which NPs and ultra-fine particles are deposited on the glasses of children up to 10 years of age in urban and rural area.The important connection between atmosphere contaminants and individual protection equipment justifies improving indoor school properties in order could protect children’s eyes,particularly in high-pollution/high-particulate areas.

Demographics, referral patterns and management of patients accessing the Welsh Eye Care Service

Background:The Primary Eyecare Acute Referral Service(PEARS)and the Wales Eye Health Examination(WEHE)operate as enhanced optometry services for patients residing in Wales,enabling the examination of a patient presenting with an acute eye problem(PEARS)or the examination of patients at higher risk of eye disease(WEHE).The purpose of the study is to assess the demographics of patients accessing these services,referral patterns and clinical management in one Health Board in Wales(Aneurin Bevan University Health Board).Methods:Information from 2302 patients accessing the services was prospectively collected.The following information was obtained:type of examination(PEARS or WEHE),patient age,gender,self-referral or general practitioner(GP)referral and clinical management(no further action,monitor by optometrist or ophthalmic medical practitioner[OMP],refer to the Hospital Eye Service[HES],or refer to GP).Results:There were 1791(77.8%)PEARS examinations and 511(22.2%)WEHE.There were 1379(59.9%)females with a mean age of 58.61(±19.75)and 923(40.1%)males with a mean age of 56.11(±20.42).The majority of patients were self-referrals compared to GP-referrals(1793[77.9%]versus 509[22.1%]respectively).Sub-analysis indicated similar numbers of self-referrals compared to GP-referrals for the WEHE only(297[58.1%]versus 214[41.9%]respectively)but greater numbers of self-referrals for the PEARS examinations only(1496[83.5%]versus 295[16.5%]respectively).For management,75%of patients were monitored by their optometrist or OMP,17%required referral to the HES and 8%required referral to their GP.Conclusions:Higher numbers of females accessed both PEARS and WEHE services and the majority of patients self-referred.These findings have important implications for public health campaigns both for targeting specific groups(e.g.male patients)and increasing awareness among GPs.