Royal College of Ophthalmologists

Contacts

Royal College of Ophthalmologists
17 Cornwall Terrace
London   NW1 4QW

Tel: 020 7935 0702
Fax: 020 7935 9838

email: sara.felton@rcophth.ac.uk
web:  http://www.rcophth.ac.uk/

International Activities

RCOG has extensive experience of collaboration and cooperation with the developing counties, as treatable blindness is one of the health care priorities in these countries.

Many UK ophthalmologists spend time on a recurring annual basis visiting units in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe, to teach, see patients and operate. Fellows who come to the UK to train in specialised ophthalmology from all over the world, then return to improve care in their countries.

The College runs a LINKS programme to put units and individuals in developing countries in touch with partner/mentors in the UK, to facilitate the process of teaching and training. Full details are contained in the annexe.

www.rcophth.ac.uk/education/dualsponsorship

International Links

In July a letter was sent out to all UK consultant ophthalmologists seeking information about involvement (past or present) with overseas institutions with the intention of establishing a database of ophthalmic staff that have worked abroad or might be willing to be part of new initiatives to help eliminate avoidable blindness overseas.

A significant number of ophthalmic staff have already extended their horizons beyond the UK and many already have links with overseas hospitals or are involved with organisations such as Sightsavers International, Christian Blind Mission or ORBIS.

Some ophthalmologists even run their own hospitals or regularly visit eye camps and a number of trusts now have strong formalised institutional links with overseas partners as part of the VISION 2020 Links Programme, based at the International Centre for Eye Health: http://www.iceh.org.uk/inf_links.asp

By gathering this information we hope to be able to put people in touch with one another and match the needs of overseas partners with appropriate UK ophthalmic staff, eye departments or trusts.

There is much to be done at home, but an even greater challenge is for us to share expertise, teach and train in parts of the world that are under-resourced and for whom blindness is part of daily life.

If you are interested please contact nick.astbury@virgin.net or marcia.zondervan@lshtm.ac.uk