News & Events
Glaucoma Research Society of Canada Joins Vision 2020 Canada
TORONTO, May 30, 2011 – The Glaucoma Research Society of Canada joins Vision 2020 Canada in the fight to eliminate avoidable blindness.
“The VISION 2020 initiative seeks to eliminate the main causes of avoidable blindness in order to give all people in the world the right to sight,” said Lindsay O’Connor, Executive Director of the Glaucoma Research Society of Canada.
“Canada needs to wake up when it comes to vision health. The need for a national, strategic and coordinated approach to vision health in Canada is vital,” he said.
“Glaucoma is the second most common cause of vision loss in the world and affects more than 400,000 Canadians; we need more research dollars and support to find a cure for this insidious disease.”
Vision 2020 Canada is part of a global coalition that seeks to eliminate avoidable blindness and vision loss by the year 2020. They are a network of organizations focused on fostering greater collaboration and education among organizations and governments in Canada and around the world on key issues related to vision loss.
For more information, contact Lindsay O’Connor, Executive Director, Glaucoma Research Society of Canada:
| Direct line: | 416-483-7432 |
|---|---|
| Toll free: | 1-877-483-0204 |
| e-mail: | oconnor@glaucomaresearch.ca |
Feature Article:
The Impact of 10 Years of Funding
A few years ago, the Society hired a student, Gamal Seif (MSc, MD Program, McMaster University), to work with Dr. Trope (Chair, Scientific Advisory Committee) to evaluate whether our research dollars were producing new knowledge and stimulating discoveries.
The results were encouraging — more than 65% of our researchers have generated enough new information from the Society’s funding to present their research at ARVO, the world’s major science meeting. As well, a third of the researchers have published data in peer-reviewed journals.
The study’s objectives were to assess the effectiveness of the Society’s grants in advancing scientific knowledge of the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of glaucoma. The hope was to demonstrate to donors that their donations have made a difference in advancing scientific knowledge of glaucoma.
The study:
- concluded that the Society’s grants have contributed to new glaucoma knowledge;
- demonstrated accountability to donors;
- helped the Society refine future grant distribution policies; and
- provided a reinvigorated sense of evaluation and accountability within all aspects of the Society’s operations.
