Project for Construction and Promotion of Common Eye Disease Prevention and Treatment Model at Primary Level in Liaoning Province

Measuring IOP with iCare TA01i

Project Summary

In Sept 2020, He Vision Group (HVG), together with Icare Finland Oy and Santen Pharmaceutical (China) had reached a cooperation intent on building up a network of prevention of blindness at primary level. This project will select 10 primary medical institutions in city area and 50 eye health posts at rural areas, equipping them with AI based and portable medical devices, and human resources training to improve primary eye health service.

In Nov. 2020, He Vision Group hosted an opening ceremony for this project, successfully inviting leaders from Health Commission of Shenyang, CEO of Santen, Sales Manager of Icare, and the other 64 health workers from primary medical institutions. On the ceremony, we introduced the prevention of blindness model, the intelligent devices and impart basic eye health knowledge to the attendees.

Since 1st to 5th Dec, all the devices and consumables had been distributed to the 10 cooperation centers and 50 eye health posts, and training is provided to the health workers and doctors. The screening with the devices was actually carried out from 7th to 20th, as the 2nd time outbreak of COVID-19 negatively influenced the outpatient and the primary medical institutions had been closing since the end of the Dec to avoid community spread. However, over the 2 week’s duration, we have a fruitful output under such difficult time.The total amount of eye examination is 1088 (647 in city area, 441 in rural areas), among which 150 patients are referred to the hospital, with the referral rate 13.8%. 13 patients already finished the eye surgeries in Dec, including 2 pterygiums, 8 cataracts, 1 combined surgery of glaucoma and cataract, 1 angle-closure glaucoma, and 1 asteroid hyalosis. There are 42 patients with suspected glaucoma followed up by the patient management system and cloud platform, of which 3 patients have high eye pressure (≥ 21mmHg), checked by iCare tonometer.

Apart from that, over the 2 weeks, we organized 5 training to 100 primary health workers regarding common eye disease knowledge, including glaucoma, DR, cataract, and explained social focus issues to effectively improve the ability of eye disease diagnosis and treatment, so that patients can be early detected and treated. In terms of the science lecture to patients, we organized 2 with total attendees of 50 to explain the management and prevention of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, diabetes related eye disease and glaucoma. By this way should the patients increase awareness on eye health.

For the 2021 year plan, in order to increase accessibility to primary eye care services, raise awareness of eye care, and effectively monitor and manage chronic eye diseases, the following measures will be adopted in the project:

• Comprehensive eye examinations, including slit-lamp, intraocular pressure measurement and fundus camera;
• Volunteers of interns to support the work at cooperation centers, especially over the period of Aug-Oct, as the primary institutions undertake large amounts of health examinations of elderly population;
• He Vision Group will organize outreach activities at the cooperation centers;

In 2021, He Vision Group will organize 35 times of prevention of blindness training in city and rural areas respectively to consolidate knowledge of common eye disease, patients life-cycle management and so forth, excluding epidemic situation. It is expected to have 700 trainees; with regard to science lecture to patients, it is planned to organize 132 times with the total patients of 6000 who will benefit from the project.