Helping little eyes see big things
By Marci Becking
BAAWAATING – “Good eyesight is crucial for the development of a child.”
That was the main message from Dr. Kourosh Sabri from the Indigenous Children’s Eye Examinations Initiative (ICEE) during a keynote presentation on Day 1 of the 11th annual Anishinabek Nation Health Conference on Oct. 21, with the theme: Neyaab Daapnigaadeg Mno-Bimaadiziwin Aadzwining, Wiijinding, miinwaa naagdawending (Reclaiming Wellness Through Culture, Connection and Care).
“You have to learn to see. It’s only an active process that begins when you are born,” says Dr. Sabri. “The problem with poor eyesight is you don’t know you don’t see well because you don’t know what good vision is. Children don’t know they can’t see – that is why it is critical to screen children… If [poor vision] not detected early, it can lead to permanent vision loss.”
Dr. Sabri and his team have on-site clinics, provide telemedicine, do local training for youth and build trust, and enable broader care. Currently, the First Nations in the Anishinabek Nation territory that are working with ICEE are: Dokis First Nation, Zhiibaahaasing First Nation, Sheshegwaning First Nation, Sheguiandah First Nation, and Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation.
Vision is an emerging health priority for First Nations.
“Statistics for children across Canada: three per cent under the age of two are getting an eye exam, only 38 per cent between ages 2-5 get an eye exam, and it should be 100 per cent,” says Dr. Sabri. “If you don’t pick up the eye problem early enough, it can become a permanent problem.”
Dr. Sabri says that the World Health Organization cites that over two billion people have vision impairment or blindness worldwide. The cost to society of vision loss in Canada is $33 Billion, noting that the biggest need for most children is glasses.
“Simply, prescription glasses will save their vision,” says Dr. Sabri. “First Nations have a higher youth demographic. First Nations lack of access to health care and diabetes, [which] can become a factor for vision problems. 99.9 per cent of what needs to be done can be done in the community,” says Dr. Sabri.
Many First Nations don’t live close to where eye examinations can be done, and Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) are not used. ICEE brings the service to the children in the First Nation.
Dr. Sabri delivered some hard facts to some 160 conference participants the importance of vision care.
“Of the nearly 500,000 First Nation children living on and off-reserve in Canada have never had an eye examination despite programs such as NIHB. Poor vision has negative psychological and physical impacts on the affected individuals as well as negative consequences for society. ICEE is a proven working model for bringing eye care to the underserved children in Canada,” says Dr. Sabri. “To date, over 1,000 children have been examined in person, over 700 pairs of glasses have been prescribed and sent to children and of these children, only 42 per cent had normal vision (the national average is 72 per cent) and 51 children were legally blind.”
The mission of the Indigenous Children Eye Examination is to develop a national program for delivering high-quality eye care to all Indigenous children across Canada and have ICEE as a conduit for delivering health care beyond eye care.
For more information, visit iceenow.ca or call 905-521-2100 ext. 73510