A milestone was reached in South Africa recently when a single programme reached its goal of giving
1 000 000 eye examinations and screenings. The success of the Giving Sight to KwaZulu-Natal programme has sparked a future initiative – to replicate the project model in other locations. Training of eye care personnel through the Giving Sight to KwaZulu-Natal project has seen the number of optometrists in the public sector quadruple. There are currently 123 sites for eye care across the province.

Children represent one of the most important resources. Lost opportunities in education due to poor vision, one of the many difficulties facing particularly underserved children, is of major concern because the negative impact is tremendous yet the solution is so simple - an eye exam and a pair of glasses.

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Child Eye Care programme was established in 2007 through a strategic partnership with Nissan South Africa. The Nissan Mobile Eye Clinic – the mobile component of the KZN Child Eye Care Programme offers a fully equipped outreach service to examine and prescribe children with glasses, the majority of which have never had an eye exam before. This project is being replicated due to its lasting success in the Province of Gauteng.

Local vision screeners are trained as part of the KZN Child Eye Care Project. Teachers are taught to screen the vision of children in their neighborhood schools and refer those with a vision problem to local health authorities.

Other ICEE professional education programmes in South Africa have included refresher courses for optometrists, primary eye care and refraction for ophthalmic nurses as well as low vision skills for optometrists. Primary health care nurses are taught eye screening skills by ICEE to help increase the number of eye care personnel to help strengthen the existing primary level health facilities within South Africa.

Current figures show the number of optometrists now working in the public sector, supported through their training by ICEE, have increased three fold in the last year. There are currently 133 established clinics, many with practicing optometrists working onsite or visiting regularly, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Funders:

• ICEE
• Optometry Giving Sight
• Standard Chartered Bank
• Nissan

Partners:

• KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health
• KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education