Eye care for tsunami victims

Efforts to improve eye care for those affected by south east Asia's tsunami have gathered pace this month.

Australia's profession has been particularly proactive. Earlier this month a group of organisations formed the Tsunami Vision Care Alliance, which recognised that food, water and shelter were the most pressing needs, but vision care remained an important part of the recovery process.

Alliance coordinator Professor Brian Layland said: 'Following such a disaster, having poor vision, through trauma or the loss of spectacles, can make performing the simple acts necessary for survival and recovery almost impossible.'

It is estimated that up to 25 per cent of the population in the areas affected need spectacles and other visual help. Eye care was already a problem in the region, with many poorer people not having adequate sight correction.

Many may even be functionally blind because of the lack of vision correction. Many others may have experienced trauma.

'Five million people have been left homeless, and if they've lost houses then they've lost glasses,' Professor Layland told optician.

Although there are no current statistics available, it is estimated that in Sri Lanka alone those who have impaired vision in the affected areas may total up to 100,000. This number does not include those who have some form of eye injury.

The Alliance is coordinating the services of optometrists in the region, and if you would like to help, Professor Layland can be contacted by email: b.layland@icee.org