Refractive errors include eye problems such as myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness) and astigmatism (caused by an irregularly curved cornea).
They also include presbyopia, a normal ageing change, where the eye is no longer able to focus at close range.
These eye disorders can be particularly problematic in developing countries, where those affected may not be able to afford sight tests or spectacles to help improve their vision. For a child, something as simple as a pair of glasses can mean the difference between a bright future and being trapped in a cycle of poverty.
What’s more, those living in remote communities may not have access to eye care – in sub-Saharan Africa, for example, two-thirds of ophthalmologists and optometrists are based in capital cities, leaving a shortage of trained eye care professionals working in rural areas.
The patient is given an eye test to find out how their vision is affected.
During the test, they’re asked to read letters or symbols on a chart.
If they have refractive error, it can then be corrected with spectacles.
We have also helped to train 735 optometrists and 437 optometric technicians, who are able to carry out sight tests, diagnose eye problems and help to treat people with low vision in some of the poorest parts of the world, who may otherwise not have access to eye healthcare.
Sightsavers’ School Health Integrated Programming (SHIP) project, which started in 2016, has screened schoolchildren in Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Liberia and Pakistan for health problems such as poor vision.
As part of the SHIP project, teachers have been trained to carry out basic eye tests and refer children for further treatment. More than 200,000 children have been screened for eye problems, and thousands of students have been given spectacles.
Download Sightsavers refractive error strategy (pdf) to read more about our work to treat refractive error.
The Sightsavers-supported School Health Integrated Programming project (SHIP) screens schoolchildren for health problems and provides spectacles and treatment where needed.
Read about the projectPage last reviewed: October 2024
Next review due: October 2027
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