Speakers at the inaugural of the continuing medical education programme on ‘Refractive surgery and paediatric ophthalmology update 2016,’ organised by Joseph Eye Hospital here, underlined the importance of prevention of avoidable blind diseases. They explained the adverse impact of avoidable blind diseases on socio-economic development.
R.Bhiranesh, Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services, in her inaugural address, underlined the need for proper eye care, with an eye on prevention of avoidable blindness. She hoped that the continuing medical education programme would throw more light on paediatric ophthalmology.
C. A. Nelson Jesudasan, Director of the Hospital, said that avoidable blind disease has been posing a greater challenge at the global and national level. Our country accounted for a large number of visually-challenged persons. There was a strong case for a combined and integrated effort by professionals in the field of ophthalmology and allied services. He said that the advanced technology should be most utilised for meeting the challenges particularly those involved in the area of avoidable diseases.
The continuing medical education programme aimed at updating the knowledge and skills to benefit optometrists and ophthalmic technicians.The main aim is to disseminate knowledge and exchange ideas, he added. A technical session was held later, in which specialists delivered lectures on ‘refractive surgery’, ‘managing squint and amblyopia’, ‘retinal diseases in children’ and ‘visual rehabilitation in children’.
