CDV: World Sight Day in a few weeks’ time
This year’s appointment with World Sight Day promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO) October 13 is a special occasion for focusing attention on problems linked to this precious gift. In strong synergy and driven by the same aim, Commissione Difesa Vista (CDV), Vision+ Onlus and CBM Italia Onlus with the support of the Associazione Italiana Medici Oculisti (AIMO), will be together today at the Società del Giardino in Milan to once again place emphasis on the problem of protecting eyesight and raising the awareness of citizens and public opinion.
These four important associations that operate in the sight and sight wellbeing sector will be together in the capital city of Lombardy to increase their range of action and make their voices even louder. From 11am to 8pm on October 13 and 14, a special white ATM tram will follow a set route through the streets of downtown Milan and stop in three places, where free eye exams will be given. «The exams, carried out by our volunteer opticians using equipment that has been supplied free of charge for the two days by Frastema (a company specializing in the sale and distribution of ophthalmic instruments and equipment), are: refractive error using an auto refractometer for assessing any refractive problems (myopia, astigmatism, hypermetropia); eye pressure assessment using an air-puff tonometer to highlight any ocular hypertonia, now considered to be the major risk factor in the development of glaucoma, and eye exams for driving, with tests of vision acuity, contrast sensitivity and perception at twilight», explained Riccardo Perdomi, director of Vision+ Onlus, the non-profit association whose aims are exclusively those of solidarity in the social assistance and social health sector to improve eye disease treatment and assistance for underprivileged people.
The tests take a few minutes and are not a substitute for a complete eye exam, but aim to be an important opportunity for raising awareness and carrying out a first screening of the population. At the end, the “patients/visitors” will be given a leaflet with the most important results of the exam and general indications about any need for additional checks. Volunteers will also distribute eye health information material to passersby.
Another aspect that will be measured on the white tram is the ability to see well, something that all too frequently is not adequately checked and should be carried out also as a guarantee of safe driving. This emerged from research by Commissione Difesa Vista (CDV), which for almost 40 years has aimed at providing accurate information about issues linked to eye health. «We commissioned and funded research and scientific studies that included an important survey by the Bicocca University on “Correct eyesight compensation for safe driving”, which brought to our attention disturbing information about the wellbeing of drivers’ eyesight», explained Cavaliere del Lavoro Vittorio Tabacchi, president of Commissione Difesa Vista.
The data showed that 30% of drivers do not have the vision capabilities necessary for driving a vehicle safely and that the eye exams carried out when issuing or renewing a driver license do not measure many of these capabilities; in other words, in practice they are not capable of ascertaining if the person tested is satisfactory from the point of view of vision. CDV approached the relevant institutions – Ministry for Transport, Ministry of Health, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate – to urge the approval of regulations that provide for the introduction of more effective tests for assessing vision capabilities and to suggest that these test should be carried out by specialized or properly trained eye care professionals.
«If the acceptance of these requests still seems to be a long way off at national level, we are placing our hopes in the synergies that are being created also at European level», Tabacchi continued. «In the light of raising awareness about the gift of sight, not only of the institutions but also, and above all, of end-consumers, CDV has supported the important initiative that was presented today and is promoted with Vision+ Onlus and CBM Italia Onlus for sight month in October, the protagonist of which will be the city of Milan.» Aci-Istat data reveal that 59.13% of accidents can be more or less directly attributed to impaired eyesight. Not only is it important to see well, but each vision disorder requires specific correction. Nowadays, drivers are tested for drugs or alcohol consumption, but eyesight is limited to superficial tests when a driver license is issued or renewed.
All these aspects of eyesight will be discussed at a conference on the subject of “Eyesight Care and Safe Driving” at 11.30am in Palazzo Giureconsulti - Sala Parlamentino on October 13. Promoted by Vision+ Onlus and CDV in collaboration with CBM Italia, it will include the presentation of awards to personalities and organizations that have been selected by the Vision+ Onlus Scientific Committee because they have taken an interest in, or devoted particular attention to, the subject of eye health in various fields and sectors.
Everyone has the right to be informed and have access to new technologies, diagnostic tests and, above all, new treatments. «In recent years, ophthalmology has accustomed us to unexpected and rapid discoveries when it seemed that new ideas had been exhausted in the field of surgical and pharmacological treatments or in diagnostics» explained Vision+ Onlus president Demetrio Spinelli. «Over the coming decades, developments in ophthalmology will come from nanotechnologies, the vast area that includes biotechnologies, physiochemical technologies and solid state microtechnologies. In the ophthalmological field, the applications of the future will be in genetic medicine, which will allow the increasingly early diagnosis of eye diseases and treatments that directly target chromosome defects, as well as in the field of cornea and retina stem cells. Despite this, however, 285 million people have impaired vision and 65% of them are over 50 years of age. Of these, 39 million are completely blind (82% over 50) and 246 million have chronic impairment (63% over 50). This is why it is necessary to constantly raise the awareness of the public and the health authorities about blindness prevention and the early diagnosis of eye diseases.»
In Italy, the problems regarding the protection of eyesight are real, but they are even more critical in developing countries. «World Sight Day is an important opportunity to raise public awareness about preventing and treating blindness, not only in Italy but also in the world’s poorer countries», added Luciano Miotto, national director of CBM Italia Onlus. «From a survey carried out by CBM Italia on behalf of the Ministry of Health and presented for the first time today during World Sight Day, we saw that Italian bodies have made a considerable commitment to preventing and treating blindness in developing countries. The associations carried out 135 operations in this field, 53% of which were on the African continent. The hope is that this survey will become a valid tool for the associations working in the field and an encouragement to facilitate the rationalization of association operations to the advantage of the beneficiaries.»
The events promoted by CBM Italia for the XII World Sight Day include: this year like every year, on October 13 the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan will be the backdrop for "Risate in Vista", a special cabaret in collaboration with CDV and Vision+ Onlus, with the participation of the best-known comedians from Colorado Café; entrance is free but booking is essential on 02 465 467 467. The SMS solidarity campaign running from October 9 through 30 will also be presented. By sending a text to 45507 it is possible to support the project for preventing infantile blindness in the 9 countries in which CBM is already present. In 2010 CBM helped over 25 million people in 89 of the world’s poorest countries.
Prevention – the best cure – includes continual checks, not just during October (for some years now, the entire month has been named “sight month”), but always. It is to be hoped that all these actions will be a good starting off point for getting adults and children into the habit of having regular tests because the health of our eyes must be protected.
The white tram’s scheduled stops are: from 12noon to 3pm in via Cappellari; from 4pm to 5pm in Piazza Castello/Beltrami; from 5.30pm to 7pm again in via Cappellari.
