STOP Glaucoma program empowers African communities

Shelby Soke - 20 September 2018

Glaucoma, a treatable but irreversible disease, is stealing vision at high rates in sub-Saharan Africa.

Karim Damji, the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation Research Chair in Ophthalmology, recognized something had to be done and created a program to train the first generation of glaucoma subspecialists in sub-Saharan Africa.

STOP Glaucoma training takes about 18 months for fellows to complete, with rotations in Edmonton and the fellows' home country.

It was through the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation that the first fellows were funded a decade ago. A Grand Challenges Canada grant also enabled the team to pilot a tele-glaucoma model to improve detection in Ethiopia and Kenya.

"I was in Ethiopia recently and after 10 years of investment there, my mentees have now become my mentors," said Damji, chief of ophthalmology at the Eye Institute of Alberta and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology.