KARACHI, Feb 10: The eight SAARC and 25th annual congress of the Ophthalmological Society of Pakistan concluded on Sunday after three days of scientific sessions and discussion on current trends in diagnosis and management of ophthalmological cases.

The event was attended by delegates from SAARC countries, the UK and Iran.

Sindh minister for Finance, Dr Abdul Hafiz Shaikh, was the chief guest at the concluding session.

The minister in his speech lauded the activities of the OSP in trying to prevent blindness and other eye-related diseases in the country.

He also praised the organisers for arranging a highly- productive event.

Congress president, Prof M Yasin Khan Durrani, traced the origin and background of the OSP and termed the congress a major success.

On Saturday two visiting experts from UK highlighted the epidemiological strategy, objectives and examination process of the ongoing Pakistan National blindness and Low-Vision Survey Programme.

Explaining the sampling process, Dr Brendan Dineen said that the survey would involve a team from each province of the country, who will travel to randomly selected areas in rural and urban parts of their respective provinces to examine the people living there.

Dr Rupert Bourne presented the eye-examination techniques that will be used by the survey teams to identify the subjects with reduced vision.

He told that the training had began and the survey would start in the NWFP and the Punjab early next month to be followed by Sindh and Balochistan later in the year.

The data obtained from the survey would be used in the planning and implementation of eye-care services nationally.

The survey is being funded by the Sight Savers International (UK), the World Health Organization, the Christoffel Blinden Mission (Germany) and the Fred Hollows Committee for Prevention of Blindness in Pakistan in collaboration with the International Centre for Eye Health (London, UK).

Secretary of the congress’ organizing committee, Dr Shahid Wahab said that the purpose of the study was to bring out the real picture of the problem and related ambiguities in the manufacturing of the local eye drops.

He said the major aim of the programme was successful holding of a national survey of the causes and prevalence of blindness in Sindh.