Development in Pacific eye health research

The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ and University of Auckland have collaborated on a research project ‘State of Eye Health in the Pacific’ to help target vision impairment and blindness.

“Eye health is one area of public health that has remained under-resourced in the Pacific region” Fred Hollows Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Audrey Aumua says. “Without increased focus on eye health now, and the development of policies and plans, PICs will face deepening socio-economic crises resulting from growing blindness and vision impairment.”

The research, carried out over the next five years, will be locally driven and work with Pacific communities and leaders to increase eyecare education and services. Aumua says the initiative aims to “help secure much-needed public funding for eye health and ensure ongoing monitoring and reporting on the state of eye health in PICs.”