THET

VISION 2020 Links Programme

At a glance

Fields of work: Ophthalmology

UK Link Partner: NHS Trust, Professional Association, Teaching Hospital, University
UK Link Partner County: London

Developing Country Link Partner: Professional Association, Teaching Hospital, University
Developing Country Link Partner:

Year Established: 2004

Link Details

Established in 2004 in the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, International Centre for Eye Health. The VISION 2020 Links Programme originated as part of the ‘VISION 2020; The Right to Sight’ initiative that was established in 1999 by the World Health Organisation and the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness to eliminate avoidable blindness worldwide.

The Links programme initially work with the overseas partner institutions (initially in Africa or where there is less than one ophthalmologist per million population) to identify their main eye care needs and priorities and then match those requirements with a suitable UK training eye unit. It is an initiative to give teaching eye institutions in developing countries the skills and resources.

The VISION 2020 Links Programme is part of the International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) and based at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The VISION 2020 Links Programme facilitates 25 links at present. ICEH promotes the development of eye links by acting as a resource and networking centre for existing Links and facilitates the development of new ophthalmic Links within NHS hospitals.

A database of interested UK ophthalmologists and their institutions who are keen to join the VISION 2020 Link initiative has been set up to aid the matching process.

Link Requests

Used eye equipment in good nick!
Volunteer assistance in administration (1 day a week) with the VISION 2020 Links Programme based at ICEH/LSHTM

Contact Details

Additional Information

We continue to look for new academic links in Africa particularly teaching institutions wishing to strengthen eye training skills. Similarly we continue to look for UK NHS Trusts, teaching institutions interested in linking with a VISION 2020 link in Africa.
Please write to marcia.zondervan@lshtm.ac.uk or claire.walker@lshtm.ac.uk or nick.astbury@lshtm.ac.uk

Website: https://www.iceh.org.uk/display/WEB/VISION+2020+Links+programme