Addressing barriers to vision care in the Philippines: A locally designed model to meet a global health challenge

Globally, the highest numbers of disability-adjusted life years due to eye disease are observed in East Asia and the Pacific. In alignment with VISION 2020: The Right to Sight, which aims to eradicate preventable blindness by 2020, Physicians for Peace (PFP) has worked in partnership with local Filipino affiliates to address the tremendous need for quality eye care services throughout the Philippines. This locally driven and internationally supported vision care initiative has been successful, effective, and sustained through in-country champions and local volunteers in the Philippines. The program emphasizes early identification and treatment for individuals suffering from vision impairments that may, if left untreated, prevent them from achieving success in their education or professional pursuits. Through the programmatic efforts in 2012 alone, more than 1280 patients were evaluated and received vision treatment. Furthermore, nearly 300 individuals received vision care training and education throughout the Philippines. One key tenant of this locally based initiative works to overcome issues of access to vision care by reaching children in elementary schools. This model empowers teachers to identify refraction errors and vision difficulties among students by training them in basic visual screening and providing them with referral capabilities. These efforts are largely supported by US-based partnerships with optical companies who generously donate new eyeglass frames, greatly reducing the costs of local implementation in the Philippines. All training and screening services are conducted by volunteer Filipino vision care professionals, further reinforcing the local ownership and dedication that create a sustaining impact.