GP041-International Eye Research & Global Eye Health

Session summary:

NGOs play a key role in developing and training the clinical and administrative workforce helping in the prevention of blindness. A large portion of the global burden of eye disease is shouldered by developing countries where more than eighty percent of blindness is considered preventable or curable. In addition to providing healthcare services, community based clinicians see opportunity to engage in research to develop their own creative faculties and also to get involved in the latest service strategies and technological innovations. They can take part in conducting research and contributing to generation of practical knowledge. NGOs have the golden opportunity to engage in a comprehensive research strategy and international research collaborations across the developed and developing world. A few collaborative programs have been successful in bringing international NGOs to make significant contributions to vision research. How- ever, a wider participation of NGOs and research institutions are needed to advance the high-quality science

in many areas of vision research. A coordinated strategy for basic science and health services research will help in reducing the global burden of eye diseases and implementation of research findings.

This AIOC session will focus on a few successful international research collaborative studies and discuss the strategies and challenges in building international collaborations. The session will stimulate discussion on

forming new research partnerships and address the current issues and challenges in international research collaborations. This session is offered in collaboration with the International Society of Geographic and

Epidemiologic Ophthalmology.