Eye Care In Health Systems

The ability to see deeply affects how human beings perceive and interpret the world around them. For most people, eyesight is part of everyday communication, social activities, educational and professional pursuits, the care of others, and the maintenance of personal health, independence, and mobility. Functioning eyes and vision system can reduce an adult's risk of chronic health conditions, death, falls and injuries, social isolation, depression, and other psychological problems. In children, properly maintained eye and vision health contributes to a child's social development, academic achievement, and better health across the lifespan. The public generally recognizes its reliance on sight and fears its loss, but emphasis on eye and vision health, in general, has not been integrated into daily life to the same extent as other health promotion activities, such as teeth brushing; hand washing; physical and mental exercise; and various injury prevention behaviors. A larger population health approach is needed to engage a wide range of stakeholders in coordinated efforts that can sustain the scope of behavior change. The shaping of socioeconomic environments can eventually lead to new social norms that promote eye and vision health. Making Eye Health a Population Health Imperative: Vision for Tomorrow proposes a new population-centered framework to guide action and coordination among various, and sometimes competing, stakeholders in pursuit of improved eye and vision health and health equity in the United States. Building on the momentum of previous public health efforts, this report also introduces a model for action that highlights different levels of prevention activities across a range of stakeholders and provides specific examples of how population health strategies can be translated into cohesive areas for action at federal, state, and local levels.

The book covers all aspects of eye health in South-East Asia from public health to health system to education to industry in 6 sections. The World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia region comprises of 11 countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste. This region is home to 26% of world population; there is a disproportionate amount of blindness (30.6%) and visual impairment (36%). This is a first of its kind book that discusses common conditions of visual impairment and blindness in the South-East Asia region. In addition, the book documents the current eye care industry in the region and the contribution of all eye health INGOs in eye care program planning and service delivery for many decades. Majority of the countries in the South-East Asia region are categorized in ‘middle-income country’ group. This book discusses the common challenges in these countries such as, suboptimal public expenditure in health, acute shortage of skilled eye health workforce, and rudimentary health industry. The book covers the following 6 sections: 1. Geographic description and health indices of the region 2. Health system evolved over years, including universal eye health, health financing and health management information system (HMIS) 3. Common eye problems including non-communicable disease NCD (and diabetic retinopathy), neglected tropical disease NTD (and Trachoma) 4. Health workforce in the region that includes ophthalmologists, optometrists, and allied ophthalmic personnel 5. Eye health support in the region of 13 international non-government organizations (INGOs) working for decades 6. Eye health industry in the region that includes spectacles, ophthalmic devices and equipment and the pharma industry The book would be a useful resource for ophthalmologists, all public health personnel and policy makers in eye health in the South-East Asia region specifically and all ophthalmologists and scientists interested in public health all over the world as well as for program planning to reach the 'Health for All' strategy by 2030 (United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, SDG 2030).

This unique book will provide readers with an understanding of innovative models of delivering both primary and secondary eye care, focusing not just on providing quality care itself, but on best practices to provide and strengthen comprehensive eye care services. A wide variety of conditions will be addressed in Innovative Approaches in the Delivery of Primary and Secondary Eye Care, including childhood blindness, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration, and refractive errors. Detailed descriptions of various models are presented for each condition, which are then followed by a discussion for incorporating integrated eye care services; highlighting the importance of health system approach in comprehensive eye care. Finally, this book provides detailed strategies to address the current practical challenges related to human resources in eye care, and methods to ensure financial sustainability in the delivery of comprehensive care. Each chapter is illustrated for understanding and clarity, and provides easy-to-read tables to further enrich the text. Covering existing models of delivering care, with a look to the future, Innovative Approaches in the Delivery of Primary and Secondary Eye Care is designed for practicing ophthalmologists, residents, public health specialists and all other affiliated professionals dedicated to strengthening avenues of integrated, comprehensive eye care.

The Report for the 2030 targets on effective coverage of eye care intends to serve as a reference point to commence monitoring progress towards the 2030 global targets that were endorsed by Member States at the 74th World Health Assembly. This report draws on key results from a comprehensive analysis of population-based eye health surveys and includes estimates of effective cataract surgery coverage (eCSC) and effective refractive error coverage (eREC) at the global level, by WHO region, sex and World Bank income level, and the relative quality gap (that is, the percentage difference between ‘effective coverage’ and ‘coverage’). It also serves to highlight key gaps in current data and presents suggestions for additional efforts required to advance the monitoring, policies and programmes for increasing the coverage of eye care interventions.

Sponsored by the Picker/Commonwealth Program for Patient-Centered Care In this comprehensive, research-based look at the experiences and needs of patients, the authors explore models of care that can make hospitalization more humane. Through the Patient's Eyes provides insights into why some hospitals are more patient-centered than others; how physicians can become more involved in patient-centered quality efforts; and how patient-centered quality can be integrated into health care policy, standards, and regulations. The authors show how, by bringing the patient's perspective to the design and delivery of health services, providers can improve their ability to meet patient's needs and enhance the quality of care.