Event

In observance of World Sight Day 2012, UWI’s Faculty of Medical Sciences will host its third annual World Sight Day symposium on Thursday 11^th October, 2012, from noon-4pm, at Amphitheatre A, Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, under the theme “The Integrated Eye Care Team – Working Together to Eliminate Avoidable Blindness.” 

World Sight Day is observed on the second Thursday of October every year. Its aim is to reduce the prevalence of avoidable blindness and low vision through patient education and health promotion. Three-quarters of all cases of blindness are avoidable – either treatable or preventable – and 90% of avoidable blindness occurs in the developing world. People in developing countries are ten times more likely to be blind or visually impaired than those in the developed world. If no action is taken, 100 million people globally will become needlessly blind by the year 2020.  

The symposium is free and open to the public. Topics to be discussed include The Role of Higher Education in Blindness Prevention; Primary Eye Care in Trinidad and Tobago; Uveitis/Immunosuppression/Steroid-induced Cataract; Sickle Cell Disease/Retinal Detachment/Glaucoma; Eye Injuries/Corneal Transplant; Nursing Care; Paediatric Ophthalmology/Oncology (Retinoblastoma; Diabetes/Retinal Laser/Intravitreal Avastin/Diabetic Vitrectomy; and Thyroid Eye Disease/Dysthyroid Optic Neuropathy.

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