NOVEMBER, 2019 | The HEALTH
HIGHLIGHT
This year’s World Sight Day
occured on Oct 10, with the theme
‘Vision First’.
If it has been more than two years
since your last eye check-up or if
you are concerned about any type
of vision problem you experience,
make an appointment with an
optometrist or an ophthalmologist
today!
Don’t put your sight at risk
because you are too busy. There’s
nothing more important than good
health and good vision. — The
Health
W
ORLD Sight Day, observed
annually on the second Th urs-
day of October, is a global
event meant to draw atten-
tion on blindness and vision
impairment.
As we know, eye care professionals play a
major role in raising public awareness regard-
ing blindness and vision impairment as major
health issues in Malaysia. Th erefore, a cooper-
ation between multiple eye practitioners has
been initiated with the aim to be a national
driver in promoting blindness and vision
impairment prevention amongst Malaysians
through coordinated and concerted actions.
To kick start this noble initiative, the Asso-
ciation of Malaysian Optometrists (AMO),
the College of Ophthalmologists, Academy
of Medicine Malaysia, Malaysian Optical
Council (MOC), the Malaysian Society of
Ophthalmology (MSO), the Department of
Ophthalmology Hospital Canselor Tuanku
Mukhriz UKM (HTCM UKM) and Revon
Media (the publisher of Th e Health, al-Siha
and My Health) have joined hands to celebrate
World Sight Day 2019.
Th is is the fi rst time that the optometrists
and ophthalmologists have gathered together
for a series of talks and sharing sessions to
11
ONE VISION: The attendees of the World Sight Day Lecture Series, including the Deputy Minister of Health,
Dr Lee Boon Chye, Chairman and Co-Chairman of the programme, ophthalmologists, optometrists, and students.
Gathering
towards one vision
Malaysian eye care professionals gathered for the fi rst time this World Sight Day,
aiming to provide better eye care for the nation
discuss ways to provide the best eye care
services to Malaysians.
“Th e World Health Organisation estimated
in 2017 that approximately 1.3 billion people
live with some form of visual impairment. Of
these, 217 million adults have moderate to
severe vision impairment and 36 million are
Looking in interest
at one of the many
booths present at
the World Sight Day
Lecture Series 2019.
blind. Meanwhile, 19 million children globally
suff er from visual impairment. It has been
reported, however, 80 per cent of all visual
impairment are avoidable. Th is means most of
the visually impaired cases can be treated or
initially prevented,” stated Dr Lee Boon Chye,
Deputy Minister of Health.
“I would like to congratulate the Malaysian
Eye Care Professionals Group, for successfully
initiating and holding this Lecture Series
which has become the perfect platform for
optometrists and ophthalmologists to share
and exchange their views to focus on their
roles in creating, raising public awareness of
blindness and vision impairment.”
Chairman for World Sight Day Lecture
Series 2019 was Dr Ayesha Mohd Zain and
Dr Norshamsiah, the Advisor representing
HCTM UKM’s Ophthalmology Department.
Representing from each association serving
as Co-chairman included: Woon Pak Seong
of AMO, Dr Fariza Ngah of College of Oph-
thalmologist, Prof Dr Mae-Lynn Catherine
Bastion of MSO and Kay Mathy of Revon
Media. — Th e Health