Killing Blindness And Poverty With One Stone

Main Category: Eye Health / Blindness
Article Date: 23 Oct 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Research has shown that the poor who live at a socio-economic disadvantage run a higher risk of blindness. A study in published in the special issue of Clinical and Experimental Optometry finds that many cases of blindness in developing countries are unnecessary and suggests eradicating blindness by addressing both conditions of poverty and blindness in tandem.

"Prevention schemes alone will not reduce global burden of blindness, rather, implementing preventive and rehabilitative measures that work in conjunction with economic development is the most prudent approach to eliminate blindness", says Dr. Rohit Khanna - lead author of the paper, "Blindness and poverty in India: the way forward".

Many causes of avoidable blindness stem from poor hygiene, lack of immunization, malnutrition and lack of access to primary health and eye care. The main causes of needless blindness include cataract, trachoma and childhood blindness associated with Vitamin-A deficiency.

The study asserts that development programs need to be linked to other development programs such as education, general hygiene, and child health for a lasting effect. Unaccompanied blindness prevention efforts will only serve as a short-term solution.

Each disease control measure would have impact on access to education, equitable distribution of opportunity and wealth, and employability. Ultimately, it is through these measures that poverty and therefore ill health can be alleviated.

Dr. Rohit adds, "75% of all forms of blindness are treatable and preventable by cost-effective methods. Unless timely and appropriate measures are taken, the current level of blindness will double by 2020 with economic losses coming close to US$150 to US$250 billion."

This paper is published in the November 2007 issue of Clinical and Experimental Optometry. The journal is one of the 16 Wiley-Blackwell journals participating in the Council of Science Editor's (CSE) Global Theme Issue dedicated to poverty and human development.



About the Council of Science Editors (CSE)

CSE is a professional society of science editors that serves members in the scientific publishing and information science communities by fostering networking, education, discussion, and exchange and to be an authoritative resource on current and emerging issues in the communication of scientific information. The CSE Web site that has the list of all participating journals, the direct URL is http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/globalthemeissue.cfm . An accompanying Global Theme Issue Event will be held at the National Institutes of Health on 22nd October which will also be available by Web cast. More information is available here and a link to the web cast can be found here.

About Clinical and Experimental Optometry

Clinical and Experimental Optometry is a peer reviewed journal listed by ISI and abstracted by PubMed, Science Citation Index and Current Contents. It publishes original research papers and reviews in clinical optometry and vision science. Debate and discussion of controversial scientific and clinical issues is encouraged and letters to the Editor and short communications expressing points of view on matters within the Journal's areas of interest are welcome.

About Wiley-Blackwell

Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the acquisition of Blackwell Publishing Ltd. by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and its merger with Wiley's Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies have created a global publishing business with deep strength in every major academic and professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,400 scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal. For more information on Wiley-Blackwell, please visit http://www.blackwellpublishing.com or http://interscience.wiley.com.

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