Home » Cosmetic Surgery Articles » Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach: Dr. Richard A. Weiss and the Global Initiative to Eliminate Avoidable Blindness
Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach: Dr. Richard A. Weiss and the Global Initiative to Eliminate Avoidable Blindness
Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach found that the result of these discussions is the 'Global Initiative to Eliminate Avoidable Blindness' and the campaign to create awareness and new resources called 'Vision 2020: The Right to Sight'.
NEWPORT BEACH, CA, August 07, 2010 /Cosmetic Surgery PR News/ -- Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach: Dr. Richard A. Weiss and the Global Initiative to Eliminate Avoidable Blindness
Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach has learned that during the last two years the World Health Organization, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and a group of non-governmental development organizations involved in eye care have been working together to address the question 'How to reduce the number of blind persons in the world to a minimum by the Year 2020'. Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach found that the result of these discussions is the 'Global Initiative to Eliminate Avoidable Blindness' and the campaign to create awareness and new resources called 'Vision 2020: The Right to Sight'.
Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach explains that this article will seek to address four questions: 1. Why do we need a program against blindness? 2. What is the Global Initiative and Vision 2020? 3. How will the Global Initiative be implemented? 4. Who is involved?
Why do we need a program against blindness? The available data suggests that by the year 2000 there will approximately be 50 million blind people in the world. Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach points out that the majority live in Asia and Africa. Approximately 8-10 million people become blind each year and it is estimated that around 6-8 million people who are blind die each year. The result is a net increase of 1-2 million blind persons per year. Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach recalls that the increase in blindness is due to an increasing world population and increased life expectancy, with more people in the world living beyond the age of 60 years.
Of the 50 million blind people in the world, Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach informs that it is estimated that, approximately half is due to cataract, 15% due to trachoma, 4% due to blindness in children and 1% due to onchocerciasis. These four conditions make up 70% of the world's blindness. The remaining causes are glaucoma (approx. 15%), diabetic retinopathy (5%) and a variety of other causes (10%).
Despite the efforts of UN agencies, national governments, and non-governmental] organizations, blindness is an increasing problem causing loss of quality of life to the individual; and an economic burden on the individual, family and society in general. According to Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach, a recent study from India estimated that the annual cost of blindness for every 1 million population is approximately $4 million per year.
Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach includes that with this background it was decided that a concerted effort should be made by all those involved in prevention of blindness and eye care delivery to address the major causes of blindness, with the aim of reducing the number of blind people in the world from an estimated 75 million in the year 2020, (if the present situation does not change), to a target of 25 million.
What is the Global Initiative and Vision 2020?
Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach finds that the Global Initiative to Eliminate Avoidable Blindness has identified four diseases for priority action in the first phase. These are:
• cataract
• trachoma
• onchocerciasis
• childhood blindness and visual loss.
Together with this disease orientated approach it is recognized that there is also need for:
• human resource development (particularly in Africa)
• infrastructure development (emphasizing appropriate technology).
a) Disease strategies
Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach sheds light on the fact that there are now well-defined strategies for cataract (cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation); trachoma co (the SAFE strategy consisting of Surgery for trichiasis, Antibiotics for active infection, Facial cleanliness for reduction in transmission and Environmental improvement to remove risk factors); onchocerciasis (community directed distribution of Mectizan on an annual basis), and vitamin A deficiency (consisting of short, mid and long-term strategies to promote vitamin A intake). Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach recognizes there is still a need to develop specific strategies for other avoidable causes of visual loss in children, for which a workshop was held in India in April 1999.
b) Human resource development
Many governments and nongovernmental organizations are already emphasizing the importance of human resource development at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of eye care. Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach noted that this is particularly true for sub-saharan Africa, where on average there. is only one ophthalmologist per million population. As well as training in the technical aspects of ophthalmology, there is a need for training in management skills and a community approach to eye care.
c) Infrastructure development
The last few years have seen major technological developments in ophthalmological practice in the industrialized world. Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach has come to find that these developments are often expensive but can improve the quality of eye care offered. Increasingly, these technological developments are being adapted for use in the developing world. High quality, affordable intraocular lenses and eye sutures are now available. Efforts have been made to produce low cost spectacles and eye drops. Several companies are involved in the production of affordable ophthalmological equipment and instruments.
To learn more about Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach Weiss Cosmetic visit drweiss.com.
Article produced by Internet Website Design Concepts Jennifer Barcoli.
Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach Weiss Cosmetic is fellowship trained in ophthalmic plastic surgery. He has popularized lower eyelid surgery with no skin incisions (trans-conjunctival blepharoplasty) since 1986. For further information, please contact Dr. Richard A. Weiss of Newport Beach at (949)720-1400.
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