Country Snap Shot & Eyecare Profile
	Country Sri Lanka Region South East Asia Capital Colombo Area (sq/km) 64,720 km2 Geography Island nation located in the Indian Ocean south-east of India Provinces/Districts 26 Districts *Population 20,222,240 *Population Below Poverty Line 22.0% *Infant Mortality/1000 births 13.97 *GDP Per Capita ($US) $4,300 Schools of Optometry 1 Optometrists 200 Opticians As Above Ophthalmologists 60 Eye Health Workers Approximately 500 Optometrist Association Yes Vision 2020 Signatory  Yes Vision 2020 National Plan Yes National Eyecare Health Plan No

Project Manager

Gerd Schlenther

Project Personnel

Naomi Freuden, Jane Kierath, Sonja Cronjé, Arna Anantakrishnan

Project Aim  

• To assess the need for an ongoing commitment to the development of eye care services and eye care training programs in the country.
• To address the inadequate refraction services and spectacle provision in the country through the training and appropriate deployment of eye care personnel.
• To develop sustainable eye care delivery systems in areas of need.

Project Commencement

2005 - current

Project Background/History

Following the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004, ICEE and other Vision 2020 partners, in collaboration with local stakeholders and health care personnel, provided much needed eye care in the disaster-stricken areas of Sri Lanka.  These efforts were funded by the Institute for Eye Research, Optometry Giving Sight in Australia and the City of London Tsunami Appeal. The service delivery teams, comprised of ICEE staff and volunteer optometrists, provided not only eye examinations and spectacles where needed, but also trained local healthcare workers in eye care and eye examination techniques.

During these service delivery and training trips, it became evident that most people in Sri Lanka have never had their eyes examined before. This is not only due to the scarcity and maldistribution of trained eye care professionals, but also because the cost of a pair of spectacles is beyond the reach of most people.

In April 2006 ICEE volunteer eye care teams began working in the tea plantations of Sri Lanka.  Workers and residents of these central highlands do not have ready access to healthcare services - due either to a lack of available services or a lack of affordable health care.  ICEE recognised the need for affordable  and accessible eye care in these regions of the country.

Project Activities

ICEE’s current focus areas in Sri Lanka are: 

• Human resource development; and
• Creating infrastructure for appropriate, accessible, affordable and sustainable eye care provision. 

Human Resource Development
Visual screening, refraction and the supply of spectacles are more convenient and cost-effective if delivered at the community level.  To this end, ICEE has commenced its recruitment and selection process for the training of optometric technicians, who will be able to provide refractive services in their communities.  ICEE also plans to train Optical Workshop Technicians in Sri Lanka in the future.

Creating Infrastructure
ICEE is collaborating with other organisations to establish self-sustaining Vision Centres in Sri Lanka.  These eye care centres will be staffed by optometric technicians and/or optometrists, trained by ICEE. The Vision Centres will provide accessible and affordable eye care for all Sri Lankans and will stock a permanent supply of affordable readymade spectacles.  The establishment and appropriate staffing of Optical Workshops will not only ensure that custom-made spectacles are made available to those who require them, but will also create income and self-sustainability.  Cooperative relationships with pre-existing eye care centres will be maintained such that all eye care services are integrated and delivered with maximum efficiency within the Sri Lankan eye care system.

Project Achievements

Eyecare Service Delivery
A total of 14 eye care service delivery trips have been conducted since early 2005.

Individuals served:  33,107  

Spectacles dispensed:  28,108 pairs

Individuals referred:  1,989.

Human Resource Development
In July 2005, ICEE commenced training of local health personnel.  To date, 15 local health workers have been trained in basic refraction and primary eye care.  Eight of these health workers are at a level where they can conduct eye examinations independently.

Project Partners

Sri Lanka Ministry of Health
Vision 2020 Sri Lanka
LV Prasad Eye Institute

Project Sponsors

Optometry Giving Sight
The City of London Tsunami Appeal
International Resources for Improvement of Sight

	Personal Story
	“In a small village near Mullaitivu, a 77 year old man arrived at our clinic reporting difficulty seeing at a distance. He had never had his eyes tested before, and was found to have cataracts and moderate myopia (shortsightedness) in both eyes. Correcting his refractive error (shortsightedness) by giving him a pair of ready-made glasses significantly improved his vision. He could not have been happier with the glasses – he smiled broadly in thanks as he left the clinic with his newly improved vision!” ICEE volunteer optometrist Mitasha Meera Marolia