Public Health

Background: We undertook a Grand Challenges in Global Eye Health prioritisation exercise to identify the key issues that must be addressed to improve eye health in the context of an ageing population, to eliminate persistent inequities in health-care access, and to mitigate widespread resource limitations. Methods: Drawing on methods used in previous Grand Challenges studies, we used a multi-step recruitment strategy to assemble a diverse panel of individuals from a range of disciplines relevant to global eye health from all regions globally to participate in a three-round, online, Delphi-like, prioritisation process to nominate and rank challenges in global eye health. Through this process, we developed both global and regional priority lists. Findings: Between Sept 1 and Dec 12, 2019, 470 individuals complete round 1 of the process, of whom 336 completed all three rounds (round 2 between Feb 26 and March 18, 2020, and round 3 between April 2 and April 25, 2020) 156 (46%) of 336 were women, 180 (54%) were men. The proportion of participants who worked in each region ranged from 104 (31%) in sub-Saharan Africa to 21 (6%) in central Europe, eastern Europe, and in central Asia. Of 85 unique challenges identified after round 1, 16 challenges were prioritised at the global level; six focused on detection and treatment of conditions (cataract, refractive error, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, services for children and screening for early detection), two focused on addressing shortages in human resource capacity, five on other health service and policy factors (including strengthening policies, integration, health information systems, and budget allocation), and three on improving access to care and promoting equity. Interpretation: This list of Grand Challenges serves as a starting point for immediate action by funders to guide investment in research and innovation in eye health. It challenges researchers, clinicians, and policy makers to build collaborations to address specific challenges. Funding: The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, Moorfields Eye Charity, National Institute for Health Research Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Trust, Sightsavers, The Fred Hollows Foundation, The Seva Foundation, British Council for the Prevention of Blindness, and Christian Blind Mission. Translations: For the French, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic and Persian translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Objective: Visual acuity (VA) testing is crucial for early intervention in cases of visual impairment, especially in rural health care. This study aimed to determine the potential of a web-based VA test (PocDoc) in addressing the unique health care needs of rural areas through the comparison in its effectiveness against the conventional VA test in identifying visual impairment among an Indian rural population. Methods: Prospective comparative study conducted in December 2022 at a tertiary referral eye care center in central India. We evaluated all patients with the PocDoc VA tests using three device types, and the conventional VA test. Bland-Altman plot (BAP) compared PocDoc and conventional VA tests. Fisher's exact tests evaluated associations between categorical parameters. Kruskal-Wallis tests followed by post hoc Dunn's tests identified association between categorical parameters and numerical parameters. Results: We evaluated 428 patients (792 measurements of VA) with mean age 36.7 (±23.3) years. PocDoc resulted in slightly worse VA scores (mean logMAR: 0.345) than conventional (mean logMAR: 0.315). Correlation coefficient between the conventional and PocDoc logMAR VA values was rho = 0.845 and rho2 = 0.7133 (p = 6.617 × 10-215; adjusted p = 2.205 × 10-214). Most data points fell within the interchangeable range of ±0.32 on BAP. Difference between the two methods increased with higher logMAR values, indicating poorer agreement for worse VA scores. Conclusions: Identifying and addressing the unique health care needs of rural populations is critical, including access to appropriate and effective VA testing methods. Validating and improving VA testing methods can ensure early intervention and improve the quality of life for individuals with visual impairment.

The current evidence suggests that masks are efficacious in limiting the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). Although cloth masks are effective in outdoor environments, there is a consensus about the requirement of N95 masks or respirators when working in close proximity to patients who may be asymptomatic carriers, specifically in ophthalmology clinics, where slit-lamp examinations, noncontact tonometry, and other procedures place the physicians and patients in close proximity with each other. In this report, we review the available evidence regarding the efficacy of different types of masks in clinical practice in ophthalmology.

Purpose: To identify factors affecting family members' decision whether to donate eye organs. Methods: A community-based case-control study based on in-home interviews with families of deceased individuals who had or had not donated eye organs, in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, India. Data collected were knowledge and awareness of eye donations, whether the deceased individual had expressed or pledged willingness to donate, and family members' attitudes and willingness to donate their own eye organs. Results: Seventy-six families of donors and 256 families of non-donors completed the survey. Multivariable analysis showed that the following variables were significantly associated with a donation: age, whether the deceased had registered for eye donation, pre-expressed willingness of deceased to donate, whether family members personally know beneficiaries of eye donations, and higher score on a scale evaluating knowledge and awareness about eye donation. The majority of donors' families (71%) had been encouraged by someone to donate. Among non-donor families, a substantially larger fraction (52.8%) indicated they would have donated had someone reminded or encouraged them to do so, in comparison with those who indicated lack of awareness or knowledge (14.5%). Conclusion: Community programs are likely to be effective if they encourage individuals to pledge their eyes or express their willingness to donate their eyes to family members in advance of death; they increase public awareness of the value of eye donation. A friend, family member, neighbor or counselor approaching bereaved families and having a dialogue about eye donation would substantially increase the probability of a decision to donate.

PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence of vision concerns among US adolescents and the association of time spent worrying about eyesight with physical and mental health. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: This study included adolescent children (age 12 to ≤18 years) particpating in the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with completed visual function questionnaires and eye examinations. Vision concerns were identified by a survey question of time spent worrying about eyesight and response was treated as a dichotomous variable. Recent poor physical and mental health was defined as at least 1 day of poor health within the last month. Odds ratios (ORs) derived from survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with vision concerns in the adolescent population, adjusting for participant demographics and refractive correction. RESULTS: The survey participants included 3100 adolescents (mean [SD] age, 15.5 [2.0] years; 49% [n = 1545] female). Vision concerns were expressed by 24% (n=865) of adolescents. Vision concerns were more prevalent among female (29% vs 19%, P < .001), low-income (30% vs 23%, P < .001), and uninsured (31% vs 22%, P = .006) adolescents. Participants worried about their eyesight were more likely to have undercorrected refractive error (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.43-2.98). Poor recent mental health (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.01-1.67), but not physical health (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.69-1.45), was associated with adolescent vision concerns. CONCLUSIONS: Female, low-income, and uninsured adolescents living in the United States are more likely to report worrying about their vision and often have uncorrected or undercorrected refractive errors.

PURPOSE: To critically evaluate the potential impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on global ophthalmology and VISION 2020. DESIGN: Perspective supplemented with epidemiologic insights from available online databases. METHODS: We extracted data from the Global Vision Database (2017) and Global Burden of Disease Study (2017) to highlight temporal trends in global blindness since 1990, and provide a narrative overview of how COVID-19 may derail progress toward the goals of VISION 2020. RESULTS: Over 2 decades of VISION 2020 advocacy and program implementation have culminated in a universal reduction of combined age-standardized prevalence of moderate-to-severe vision impairment (MSVI) across all world regions since 1990. Between 1990 and 2017, low-income countries observed large reductions in the age-standardized prevalence per 100,000 persons of vitamin A deficiency (25,155 to 19,187), undercorrected refractive disorders (2,286 to 2,040), cataract (1,846 to 1,690), onchocerciasis (5,577 to 2,871), trachoma (506 to 159), and leprosy (36 to 26). Despite these reductions, crude projections suggest that more than 700 million persons will experience MSVI or blindness by 2050, principally owing to our growing and ageing global population. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the many resounding successes of VISION 2020, the burden of global blindness and vision impairment is set to reach historic levels in the coming years. The impact of COVID-19, while yet to be fully determined, now threatens the hard-fought gains of global ophthalmology. The postpandemic years will require renewed effort and focus on vision advocacy and expanding eye care services worldwide.

Black patients are more affected by glaucoma and suffer from more advanced disease. Diagnostic challenges among black patients with glaucoma include lower rates of diagnostic testing and thinner average central corneal thickness, the latter of which affects intraocular pressure measurement. Treatment challenges include poor follow-up, medication adherence, and trust in providers. Black patients undergoing trabeculectomy have higher rates of failure compared to white patients. Race is not a definitive factor affecting success for tube shunts, laser trabeculoplasty, cyclophotocoagulation, and micro-invasive glaucoma surgeries, but the body of evidence is limited by low inclusion of black patients in these studies. Future steps should include increased attention toward improving trust between patients and providers, improving access to care, and increased representation of black patients in glaucoma research to better understand factors affecting racial disparities in glaucoma management and outcomes in this population disproportionately affected by the disease.

Black patients are more affected by glaucoma and suffer from more advanced disease. Diagnostic challenges among black patients with glaucoma include lower rates of diagnostic testing and thinner average central corneal thickness, the latter of which affects intraocular pressure measurement. Treatment challenges include poor follow-up, medication adherence, and trust in providers. Black patients undergoing trabeculectomy have higher rates of failure compared to white patients. Race is not a definitive factor affecting success for tube shunts, laser trabeculoplasty, cyclophotocoagulation, and micro-invasive glaucoma surgeries, but the body of evidence is limited by low inclusion of black patients in these studies. Future steps should include increased attention toward improving trust between patients and providers, improving access to care, and increased representation of black patients in glaucoma research to better understand factors affecting racial disparities in glaucoma management and outcomes in this population disproportionately affected by the disease.

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked unprecedented public health and social measures (PHSM) by national and local governments, including border restrictions, school closures, mandatory facemask use and stay at home orders. Quantifying the effectiveness of these interventions in reducing disease transmission is key to rational policy making in response to the current and future pandemics. In order to estimate the effectiveness of these interventions, detailed descriptions of their timelines, scale and scope are needed. The Health Intervention Tracking for COVID-19 (HIT-COVID) is a curated and standardized global database that catalogues the implementation and relaxation of COVID-19 related PHSM. With a team of over 200 volunteer contributors, we assembled policy timelines for a range of key PHSM aimed at reducing COVID-19 risk for the national and first administrative levels (e.g. provinces and states) globally, including details such as the degree of implementation and targeted populations. We continue to maintain and adapt this database to the changing COVID-19 landscape so it can serve as a resource for researchers and policymakers alike.