Preservation and Restoration of Vision:

Vision for the Future, Part 1: Executive Summary

1. Worldwide, about 45 million persons are blind and 135 million persons are severely visually impaired.
   
   It is estimated that the number of blind and visually impaired will double from 180 million to 360 million persons by 2020 unless concerted action is taken.
   
   
2. Much of this visual loss is avoidable with current knowledge and technology.
   
   The International Ophthalmology Strategic Plan to Preserve and Restore Vision - Vision for the Future is designed to encourage, enhance and coordinate activities of the approximately 150,000 ophthalmologists and the many additional thousands of physicians, health specialists and societal leaders in a sustained program to decrease the toll of blindness and visual impairment throughout the world.
   
   
3. The central purpose of The International Ophthalmology Strategic Plan to Preserve and Restore Vision - Vision for the Future is to eliminate blindness and severe visual impairment that result from preventable and treatable eye disease for people throughout the world.
   
   Participants will work to help assure that all people have access to high-quality, affordable eye care and to promote access by ophthalmologists and others to the training and continuing education they need to provide appropriate eye care to people worldwide.
   
   
4. The International Ophthalmology Strategic Plan to Preserve and Restore Vision - Vision for the Future stems from planning sessions organized by the International Council of Ophthalmology and the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis in 1999 and 2000.
   
   Participants in the Planning Group included members of the International Council of Ophthalmology and the Council Advisory Committee, members of the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis, and consultants representing ophthalmologic organizations, non-governmental organizations, governmental entities and the vision care industry.
   
   
5. With a mission to preserve and restore vision, Vision for the Future encourages activities to enhance Ophthalmic Education and Training, Ophthalmology Continuing Education, Eye Care Guidelines and Recommendations, Advocacy for the Preservation and Restoration of Vision, and Research in Ophthalmology and Vision.
   
   
6. Ophthalmic Education and Training are needed to provide ophthalmology education to all medical students, to advance ophthalmology resident physician training, and to enhance the training of allied ophthalmic personnel.
   
   
7. Ophthalmology Continuing Education extends throughout the career of the ophthalmologist and encompasses development and dissemination of educational programs so that all ophthalmologists can obtain and progressively increase personal knowledge and skills.
   
   
8. Eye Care Guidelines and Recommendations define appropriate eye care and encourage a universal high standard of eye care quality.
   
   
9. Advocacy for the Preservation and Restoration of Vision acts to increase public awareness of blindness prevention and to augment support for Vision for the Future by ophthalmologic organizations, non-governmental entities, governments and the public at large.
   
   
10. Research in Ophthalmology and Vision encompasses basic science investigation and clinical research focused on meeting global needs for eye care. Research is essential for development of new and improved therapy for blinding and sight impairing eye disease.
    
    
11. Implementation of Vision for the Future is directed and coordinated by the International Council of Ophthalmology.
    
    The International Council of Ophthalmology includes elected members and representatives of the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis, multinational ophthalmology organizations and international non-governmental organizations devoted to blindness prevention.
    
    
12. The International Ophthalmology Strategic Plan to Preserve and Restore Vision - Vision for the Future is a multi-year, flexible and interactive program.

Flexible in that a continuing process of review, modification and updating is planned.

Interactive in that Vision for the Future envisions partnerships with the Global Initiative for the Elimination of Avoidable Blindness/VISION 2020 and other global, national and institutional programs sponsored by organizations and entities committed to the elimination of avoidable blindness.

Next: Table of Contents of the Vision for the Future