ICEE programmes are working to ensure there is available access to quality and affordable eye care services for all Sri Lankan people by putting long term strategies in place to reach underserved communities in urban, rural and remote locations.

ICEE operations began in Sri Lanka in 2005 following the devastating tsunami that devastated parts of the country.

ICEE volunteers flew in to join 14 Australian relief teams of optometrists gathered to offer eye care to the local communities ravaged by the disaster. Research collected through consultations during that period showed that over 75% of people seen by an optometrist had never had an eye examination. Over 31 000 people were examined and more than 30 000 pairs of glasses were prescribed.
Over the next few years ICEE work focused on building working collaborations with local government and partners. A search began for suitable locations for Vision Centres to be set up and local people to be trained in eye care to service the population.

In 2008, ICEE with 30 other organisations helped gain national recognition for uncorrected refractive error in Sri Lanka. As a priority, the need is now addressed by the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Blindness.

In 2009, the first Vision Centres supported by ICEE opened in the Kegalle District at Yatiyanthota, Dereniyagla and Warakapola, and one in the Gampaha District at Kadawatha. Over the next two years two more opened in the Columbo District at Kolonnawa and Dehiwala, a great initiative of the ICEE supported Colombo Urban Comprehensive Eye care project.

A major milestone was reached in 2011 when Kadawatha Vision Centre became the first to officially reach sustainability and transfer to local operation and ownership. To achieve this goal ICEE worked on developing a local partnership and establishing cooperative relationships with pre-existing eye care services to ensure full integration within the local Sri Lankan eye care system.

ICEE eye programmes in Sri Lanka are supported by the AusAID Avoidable Blindness Initiative (ABI). Funding is managed by Vision 2020 Australia Global Consortium, a partnership of nine Australian eye health and vision care organisations including ICEE, working towards eliminating avoidable blindness and vision loss in the Asia Pacific region.

Funders:

• Optometry Giving Sight
• AusAID Avoidable Blindness Initiative through the Vision 2020 Australia Global Consortium
  

Partners:

• Sri Lankan Ministry of Health
• Sightsavers
• IRIS
• CBM
• Lion's Golden Jubilee Trust for Healthcare and Skills Development