MUSCAT -- The Ministry of Health held a two-week workshop for refractionists from the different regions of Oman, aimed at training them in the assessment and rehabilitation of children with low vision disability. Christoffel Blindenmission (CBM), a leading international non-governmental organisation (NGO), supported this initiative.
The workshop was an extension of the 'Low Vision Care' programme launched by the authorities last year with the support of Dr Lea Hyv?rinen, a renowned Finnish paediatric ophthalmologist who has pioneered a unique approach to assessing low vision disability in children with special needs.
The programme offers hope of effective rehabilitative care to a significant number of children who still have visual function, but under current definitions, are considered blind. Identifying these limitations and training the person with low vision to develop compensatory skills, according to Dr Hyv?rinen, can actually improve one's quality of life.
At the workshop, refractionists and optometrists from around the Sultanate were introduced to the concept of low vision assessment and rehabilitation. Around 25 eye-care staff from the different regions of the country, as well as from Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, the Armed Forces Hospital, and private institutions, attended the workshop.
Dr Babar Qureshi, Pakistan-based Medical Adviser to the CBM in the region, attended the closing session of the workshop. CBM, he said, supports the provision of services to persons with visual impairment, as well as people with other disabilities in more than 1,000 projects in 113 developing countries. The NGO has been recognised as a professional organisation for people with disabilities by the World Health Organisation and has obtained roster consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
"The objective of the workshop was to train eye-care personnel from the health institutions in identifying low vision problems in children," explained Dr Rajiv Khandekar, Low Vision Care expert at the Ministry of Health. "The participants received intensive advice on the use of special kits that will be used for assessment and subsequently for training the children with disability in improving their visual function."
Three specialists in low vision care from India and Kenya provided training support. Also taking part were a number of Omani eye-care personnel who will now be playing a key part in the implementation of the ministry's low vision care programme. "We have also developed a plan of action for taking this programme forward over the next one year.
During this period we will carry out visual assessment of children at all 26 Al Wafa Centres of the Ministry of Social Development. We have already tested the children of the Blind School at Al Maabelah. During his visit to the school, Dr Qureshi was impressed with the facilities and ensured all required help in incorporating low vision training in that school," Dr Khandekar said.
Significantly, Oman is the first country in the Middle East to introduce the programme approach for the low vision care. "Our goal is to encourage children to use their residual vision to develop enough compensatory skills so they can perform like other children at normal schools. Consequently, it's not necessary for them to learn Braille and remain at an institution for the blind, but they can be integrated in regular schools."
Studies indicate that around 40 per cent of children listed as blind in fact have low vision. "These children require a different approach to rehabilitation and it is distinct from that offered to the blind. Acting on our advice, the Blind School at Al Maabelah now incorporates special rehabilitative training for children with low vision disability," Dr Khandekar stated.
The official has urged parents of children with special needs to get their visual functions suitably tested for low vision. "Parents can approach the Eye Department of the regional hospital or bring their children to the nearest Al Wafa Centre. There are some excellent aids now available at a very reasonable cost that will allow such children to improve their learning capabilities."
He also stressed the underlying philanthropic nature of the low vision programme. "Charity-minded corporate organisations and individuals can support the initiative by financing the cost of overseas training of Omani eye-care therapists. We have received a positive response from CBM to assist the blind school in developing a low vision recourse centre. Local organisations should be forthcoming as well."
By Conrad Prabhu
© Oman Daily Observer 2006
