by Benoit Tousignant, OD | Aug 5, 2025
Background Over 2.2 billion people worldwide are affected by visual impairment or blindness, often caused by treatable conditions such as uncorrected refractive error or cataracts. These significant public health issues pose a substantial burden on individuals,...
by Timothy A. Wingert, OD, Bogdan Miśkowiak, MD, PhD, Samuel Boadi-Kusi, OD, PhD | Aug 5, 2025
On September 27, 1945, Senator James William Fulbright, the junior senator from Arkansas, rose to the Senate floor to introduce a bill. This bill would authorize the use of funds from war surplus sales to finance a program “for the promotion of international good will...
by Boaz Mucunguzi, Moreen Tumwine, Walker Guti, Ian Munabi, Sarah Kiguli, Arild Raaheim, Aloysius G. Mubuuke | Aug 5, 2025
Background Visual impairment (VI) is a global challenge1 with about 2.2 billion people living with some form of VI.2 Of these, 80% of near VI is in sub-Saharan Africa3 while distance VI in low- and middle-income regions is four times higher than in high-income...
by Bina Patel, OD, FAAO | Aug 5, 2025
Optometry plays a vital role in preventing visual impairment and the landscape of global optometric education continues to evolve. Over the past 25 years, the number of optometric education programs worldwide has increased significantly. In several...
by Meng Meng Xu, OD, MPH; Jennifer Hue, OD, MS; Guilherme Albieri, PhD; Bina Patel, OD | Aug 5, 2025
Background Optometry in China has grown significantly in the past 2 decades.1 Optometry education ranges from 3-year technical programs, 4-year bachelor of optometry and 5-year medical degree in Optometry/Ophthalmology.2-3 The 5-year program is the only one...
by Irene Langeggen, Jan Richard Bruenech | Aug 5, 2025
Introduction In July 2021, the UN adopted the resolution “Vision for Everyone: accelerating action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.1 The resolution is recognized by 193 countries and deals with eye health and good vision as an important...
by Meng Meng Xu, OD, FAAO, John H. Nishimoto OD, MBA, FAAO | May 6, 2025
In November 2022, the ASCO International Optometric Educator’s SIG cohosted an annual meeting in San Diego with VOSH/International. Besides ASCO institutions, VOSH/International also invited faculty advisers from their chapters in Latin American and the Caribbean...
by Anitha Arvind, BS(Opt), MOptom, PhD, FBDO(o/s), FIACLE, FBCLA, Kovin Shunmugam Naidoo, PhD, Peter C. Clarke-Farr, PhD | May 6, 2025
Background Blindness and vision impairment are two of the most significant public health issues in India, which is home to 20.5% of all cases of blindness in the world, 22.2% of the world’s low vision population and 21.9% of individuals with vision impairment.1...
by Siri Nyen, MNSc, Ragnhild Arno, OD, Zo Sandra Tokiniaina, Irene Langeggen, Msc (Clin Optom) | May 6, 2025
Background Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean, faces great challenges in providing proper health care for their population of approximately 30 million. Barriers to healthcare access include lack of infrastructure, lack of confidence in formal healthcare...
by Sethumathi Gouragari, BS(Optom), MBA, Sumasri Kallakuri, M(Optom), Teresa SL Tee, PhD, Snigdha Snigdha, BS(Optom), MBA, Avinash Pathengay, DO, FRCS, Ruby Kala Prakasam, MSc, PhD | May 6, 2025
Background Globally, 2.2 billion individuals have vision impairment or blindness, and over one billion of them are caused by unaddressed preventable ocular conditions.1 The key to resolving this challenge is making eyecare services and timely interventions accessible....
by Elzana Kempen, BOptom, PGDip Sports Vision, MHPE, PhD HPE, Mpho P Jama, BCur, MHiger Ed, PhD Higher Ed, Mathys J Labuschagne, MB ChB, MMed(Ophth); PhD(HPE) | May 6, 2025
Background In the realm of health education, the value and efficacy of grand rounds as a teaching-learning method has been a subject of debate.1 In contrast to several other health disciplines, optometry grand rounds have yet to be thoroughly studied.2,3,4...
by Robert E. Molter, Jr., OD, FAAO, Hai Le Thanh, MSc | May 6, 2025
The first Vietnamese optometry class matriculated in 2014. Almost a decade later, Vietnamese optometry continues to progress with increasing numbers of optometrists being educated in two university programs. The profession is also making gains, albeit slowly,...
