title: Ophthalmology in Thailand 1997.
abstract: This article is a brief history of ophthalmology in Thailand after World War II and the National Programmes for the Prevention of Blindness in the past two decades from the late 1970's. Presentation illustrates the efforts of the eye sector in Thailand not only modernizing ophthalmology. However, eye care services in public places has also been made available to all assured with easy accessibility and acceptable quality. The National Blindness Prevention programmes have been forwarded through adoption of primary eye care approach integrating into the national health scheme of primary health care. Avoidable blindness once prevalent in 1980's, has been reduced from 1.1 per cent to 0.3 per cent in twenty years. Eye care networks that came into existence in that period covering the whole country are now once again under realignment for new challenges from unavoidable types of blindness.
authors.affiliation: Central Co-ordinating Committee, National Committee for the Prevention of Blindness, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand.
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Jenchitr
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tansirikongkol
mesh_terms: D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000193:education / Q000266:history*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D000078329:Workforce