Role of Optometry and Optometrists in Promoting the Art, Science and Practice of Ophthalmology

Abstract

In the year 2019 world report on Global Visions, the World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the following bitter truths.¹

1. Out of the enormous number of 2.2 billion people with vision impairment globally, vision impairment in one billion could have been prevented.
2. The disease is unequally distributed. It is much more common in low- and middle-income countries and in rural and elderly populations.
3. We are going to witness increase in demand for global eye care because of the rapid increase in population, ageing and the rapidly changing lifestyle.

To meet this challenge, WHO recommended with “Integrated people centered eye care, embedded in health systems and based on strong primary health”.²