Program aims to help achieve UN goal

A new, multi-million pound research program is looking at how affordable, effective and widely-available treatment could help achieve the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals by treating eyesight problems around the world.

A fund of 3.5 million pounds ($4.8 million), from global health charity the Wellcome Trust and the Chen Yet-sen Family Foundation, will support the five-year ENGINE research project, dedicated to finding the link between vision and Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs.

ENGINE stands for eyecare nurtures good-health, Innovation, driving-safety and education.

It is estimated that 2.2 billion people around the world suffer from poor vision. The research program will address ways to improve it, including increasing educational opportunities for millions of long-sighted children in Africa, reducing road accidents, and slowing the onset of cognitive decline and dementia among elderly people struggling with poor eyesight.

Previous trials by ENGINE teams in China and India have highlighted the benefits of vision correction on school performance and workplace productivity.

James Chen, chairman of the Chen Yet-Sen Family Foundation, said: "Hopefully, with the conclusions from these pieces of research, we will be able to allow policy makers and government leaders to understand this link between vision correction and what would essentially help their economies, help productivity and help quality of life."

There are four main studies within the program to push lasting policy change and improve the quality of life of people in low- and middle-income countries.

Two of the studies are said to be the first trials of their kind, examining how low-cost vision care can slow the pace of cognitive decline with aging, and deliver safe roads in low-resource settings.

Chen said the foundation's Clearly campaign has shifted focus on the importance of vision correction, and if SDGs are to be achieved, poor vision must be investigated further; the research program, he hopes, is a step towards this goal.

Clearly, founded by Chen, is a global campaign aiming to bring about universal eye health coverage.

The ENGINE research will be led by Nathan Congdon of Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland, and Rohit Khanna of the LV Prasad Eye Institute in India.

"Decision makers need high-quality evidence," said Congdon. "Our previous trials showing glasses enhance school performance in China… and workplace productivity in India …have spurred government and industry-led vision programmes around the world.

"ENGINE's local partners in academia, civil society and government are well-placed to ensure this project drives similar policy action, changing lives and helping achieve the SDGs in these four countries and beyond."

The research will also draw on expertise from 29 collaborating institutions in six countries, ranging from schools of public health to government ministries, patient groups, companies and NGOs.