Over the past decade ICEE has developed and delivered eye care education courses to improve the knowledge and skills of practitioners, educators and industry personnel.

“Developing human resources is the key to addressing the majority of the avoidable blindness in the developing world,” said ICEE Education Manager for the Asia-Pacific Region, Sonja Cronjé.

Recently, a team of 11 Australian optometrists conducted an ICEE refraction training course at the Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology (VNIO) in Hanoi. The three 0month course, the first of its kind at VNIO, was aimed at improving the refraction skills of 20 eye doctors and eye nurses. It was also an important first step towards achieving a national standard for refraction training in Vietnam.

The Vietnam VISION 2020 National Blindness Prevention Plan places a strong emphasis on refractive error services for children. In response, ICEE developed new course material to properly address this topic.

The course has provided Dr Huong, an eye doctor from Hai Phong Eye Hospital, with the knowledge and skills to help a 13 year old little girl see clearly for the first time in months. A simple refraction and the correct pair of glasses was the solution Thao required.

“The ability of these practitioners to conduct good quality refractions after being trained by ICEE, demonstrates that we are on the right track in tackling this momentous problem,” said Sonja.

“Achieving successful training outcomes requires appropriate education materials and courses that are practical and hands-on. ICEE has been able to continually get that balance right” she added.