C.O. Oman Irabor
Hellyncom Eye Clinic, Nigeria
Title: Visualizing global advancements in ophthalmology via intergrated eye care
Biography
Biography: C.O. Oman Irabor
Abstract
This paper is on visualizing global advancement in ophthalmology via Integrated Eye Care. It thus draws substantially on review of secondary sources, archival material and some clinical experience. Review of extensive literature reveals considerable progress in ophthalmology via integrated care which all improved the management of the patient. Despite these, the deadline of ending avoidable blindness by 2020 cannot be achieved by ophthalmologist alone, for there is a need for synergy between the Ophthalmologist, the Optometrist and health care providers and medical professionals whose contributions are also important. The next section then deals with contributions of the optometrist, the practice of optometry in Nigeria and elsewhere, what integrated eye care is, the position of the optometrist in the recent advances in pre- and post-operative management of surgical cases, case of corneal transplants where patients are required to leave the same day of the procedure, and where Optometrist would play a unique role in post-operative management compared to leaving the patient to leave same day after the procedure without close monitoring. The concluding section looks at the global implication of advances made, and how the world is reacting to them and also the impact of the technological advancement in the practice of Ophthalmology and optometry, especially cornea transplant advanced cataract surgery techniques, improved accuracy in new glaucoma shunts, ocular imaging and implants for macular degeneration and Femtosecond laser for cataract surgery.