UAE national committee for EYE HEALTH

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. Facts and Figures by UAE Eye Health
The UAE Eye Health committee released figures related to the eye health program in the UAE, these are:
Number of Ophthalmologists: 314
Number of Refractionists: 800
Number of Optometrists: 150
Number of low vision workers: 20

Distribution of Ophthalmologists in the UAE:
Ministry Of Health: 37
Abu Dhabi Health Authority: 33
Dubai Health Authority: 18
Private sector: 220

The Estimate cause of Blindness in the UAE:
Cataract 30%
Refractive errors 30%
Diabetic Retinopathy 10%
Glaucoma 10%
Corneal opacities 5%
Others (Trauma, childhood blindness) 5%

Cataract Surgical Rate (CSR)/million population:
2004: 1200 surgeries
2007: 1400 surgeries

RAAB sensitisation Workshop held in the UAE:
United Arab Emirates (UAE) National committee for eye health and prevention of blindness and the Supreme Council for Family affairs in Sharjah in collaboration with EMR-IAPB organised a 4-day Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) sensitisation workshop from 15-18 October 2009 at Sharjah, UAE.

The objectives of the workshop were to enlighten eye care professionals on the RAAB methodology for advocacy and planning, to practice the concept and procedures of the RAAB methodology and to Identify difficulties that may be faced in the conduct of RAAB survey in the UAE.

Eighteen Ophthalmologists and optometrists from the Ministry of Health, Abu Dhabi Health Authority and Dubai Health Authority participated in the workshop. The workshop was coordinated by the UAE National coordinator for the National committee for eye health and prevention of blindness Dr Thoraya Al-Hashimi and a member of the committee Dr Manal Taryam. The workshop which consisted of lectures, group work and discussions, practice on patients, field work, and data management sessions was facilitated by a RAAB trainer –Dr Mansur Rabiu from EMR-IAPB/IMPACT-EMR, Saudi Arabia.

Vision 2020 – the Right to Sight is:

A joint collaborative partnership between the World Health Organization and the
International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and its constituent members.

The international co-operative initiative between WHO, IAPB,ICO and NGOs to end prevent able and treatable blindness by the year 2020.

The Global Initiative for the Elimination of Avoidable Blindness.

VISION

A Country in which no one is needlessly blind and where those with unavoidable vision loss can achieve their full potential.

MISSION

Providing services to the needlessly blind and those with the potentially avoidable and treatable blindness amongst the UAE residents and those seeking healthcare in the UAE through proactive screening, evidence based disease management, community based education and availing the necessary means and resources for insuring a soceity with the RIGHT TO SIGHT.

We are also committed to a rehabilitation system to help incorporate the blind into a healthy, active and productive community.

GOAL

The Right to Sight goal to eliminate the main causes of avoidable blindness by the year 2020 will be guided by 4 Strategic Directions which were defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) for prevention of Blindness initiative.