Subscribe to Newsletter
Business & Profession Health Economics and Policy, Pediatric

Thinking of the Children

Over the last couple of days, my inbox has been full of article proposals and submissions with a common theme: pediatric ophthalmology. Genetic testing in pediatric eye diseases, the myopia epidemic among children in developed countries, a novel way of dealing with vernal keratoconjunctivitis, gene therapies for Leber congenital amaurosis… These are just a few of the topics that you can look out for in The Ophthalmologist.

As with many other aspects of life, the risk of childhood blindness and vision impairment is directly related to a person’s place of birth. Socioeconomics and the availability of adequate care are the main drivers; around three quarters of the world’s blind children live in the most deprived regions.

And, as Kevin Waltz points out in this issue’s cover feature, in locations with sporadic access to care, vision-impaired children are much more vulnerable than adults. Impaired vision hinders children’s social and emotional development, as well as their education, which not only affect the future prospects of those children, but also have a significant impact on family members, who must give extra care and support. And so, even though blind children represent a relatively small percentage of the world’s blind population (around 5 percent), the cost of childhood blindness is estimated to constitute nearly one third of the global economic blindness cost (1).

Ophthalmologists contnue to do great work for children in resource-poor nations and remote regions, freely offering their time, expertise – and the gift of sight. But are they being sufficiently supported by the wider community? Consider that corneal scarring caused by vitamin A deficiency and complications from measles and other infections are leading causes of childhood sight loss in developing countries. Interventions that focus on the causes of sight loss – immunization programs, supplementation of vitamin A, promotion of breastfeeding, comprehensive screenings – are also much needed.

In short, any efforts aimed at improving quality of life and care in the world’s most underserved regions can have a huge impact on children’s visual outcomes – and the happiness and productivity of millions of people.

Aleksandra Jones

Editor

Receive content, products, events as well as relevant industry updates from The Ophthalmologist and its sponsors.

When you click “Subscribe” we will email you a link, which you must click to verify the email address above and activate your subscription. If you do not receive this email, please contact us at [email protected].
If you wish to unsubscribe, you can update your preferences at any point.

  1. 1. AMD Alliance International, “The Global Economic Cost of Visual Impairment” (2010). Available at: tinyurl.com/y8vd2zm3. Accessed January 24, 2019.
About the Author
Aleksandra Jones

Editor of The Ophthalmologist

Having edited several technical publications over the last decade, I crossed paths with quite a few of Texere's current team members, and I only ever heard them sing the company's praises. When an opportunity arose to join Texere, I jumped at the chance! With a background in literature, I love the company's ethos of producing genuinely engaging content, and the fact that it is so well received by our readers makes it even more rewarding.

Register to The Ophthalmologist

Register to access our FREE online portfolio, request the magazine in print and manage your preferences.

You will benefit from:
  • Unlimited access to ALL articles
  • News, interviews & opinions from leading industry experts
  • Receive print (and PDF) copies of The Ophthalmologist magazine

Register

Disclaimer

The Ophthalmologist website is intended solely for the eyes of healthcare professionals. Please confirm below: