Pearce Matthew G, Pearce Nicole
Pacific Eye Institute, New Zealand.
Clin Exp Optom. 2012 Nov;95(6):583-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1444-0938.2012.00710.x. Epub 2012 Apr 11.
Eye care professionals have been making short visits to developing countries for decades in an effort to reduce visual impairment caused by refractive error. A 2006 survey revealed that volunteer organisations were not working within the Vision 2020 framework. Recommendations were made for volunteer organisations that would better align their work with accepted Vision 2020 and public health principles.
This study re-evaluates the alignment of volunteer organisations with Vision 2020 and public health principles. To determine their philosophies and methods, a web-based survey was sent to 89 volunteer organisations identified from an internet search.
The response rate was 48 per cent. Many (70.7 per cent) organisations exclusively mention direct service provision in their statement of purpose, often provided by student volunteers (75.6 per cent). A few (19.5 per cent) provide short training in refraction, not necessarily following best principles. The majority (82.1 per cent) dispenses recycled spectacles and many use medications not on national essential drug lists. Few attempt to follow aid effectiveness principles with only 26.8 per cent stating they follow Vision 2020 country plans. Overall, as in 2006, the work of these organisations is largely not in alignment with Vision 2020 and public health principles.
Organisations interested in decreasing visual impairment due to refractive error in the developing world are encouraged to transition to organisations that not only recognise but also implement public health principles. This should include reprioritisation of their work to developing human resources and infrastructure, determining the burden and causes of disease, assisting in the training of mid-level personnel and providing professional and community education, collaborating via partnerships, discontinuing the use of recycled spectacles and inappropriate medications, and evaluating their outcomes. Following these recommendations as well as creating a better alignment with public health principles in general will increase the likelihood that their programs will be effective in decreasing visual impairment due to refractive error in the developing world.
几十年来，眼保健专业人员一直在短期访问发展中国家，以努力减少屈光不正导致的视力损害。2006年的一项调查显示，志愿者组织并未在“视觉2020”框架内开展工作。针对志愿者组织提出了一些建议，以便使其工作更好地符合公认的“视觉2020”和公共卫生原则。
本研究重新评估志愿者组织与“视觉2020”及公共卫生原则的契合度。为确定其理念和方法，向通过互联网搜索确定的89个志愿者组织发送了基于网络的调查问卷。
回复率为48%。许多组织（70.7%）在其宗旨声明中专门提及直接提供服务，通常由学生志愿者提供（75.6%）。少数组织（19.5%）提供验光方面的短期培训，但不一定遵循最佳原则。大多数组织（82.1%）分发回收眼镜，许多组织使用不在国家基本药物清单上的药物。很少有组织试图遵循援助有效性原则，只有26.8%的组织表示他们遵循“视觉2020”国家计划。总体而言，与2006年一样，这些组织的工作在很大程度上不符合“视觉2020”和公共卫生原则。
鼓励有意减少发展中国家因屈光不正导致的视力损害的组织转型为不仅认可而且实施公共卫生原则的组织。这应包括重新调整其工作重点以发展人力资源和基础设施、确定疾病负担和病因、协助培训中级人员并提供专业和社区教育、通过伙伴关系进行合作、停止使用回收眼镜和不适当的药物以及评估其成果。遵循这些建议以及总体上更好地与公共卫生原则保持一致将增加其项目在减少发展中国家因屈光不正导致的视力损害方面有效的可能性。
