Supporting VAO training courses

Tony Douglass

Training 2000 tutor, Tony Douglass, has donated optical learning materials to Vision Aid Overseas (VAO) to help up-skill eye health workers in developing countries.

Training 2000 has been established for more than 50 years, and in 2017 became part of the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). It delivers a variety of traineeship and apprenticeship programmes.

The VAO Refraction Course is a six-week course recently run in Zambia, with around 20 eye health workers – mainly optical clinical officers and ophthalmic nurses – each year from various hospitals/clinics away from the main city hospitals.

“Prior to Covid-19, it was decided to update VAO learning materials and it became an ideal piece of work to do during the last year,” explained Tony. “Rupal Lovell-Patel, the academic lead of vision sciences at UCLan, was approached by the charity to provide dispensing training materials to help train optical staff in developing countries.

“Through the close relationship between UCLan and Training 2000, Rupal contacted me to see if we could provide material for learners beginning their training in dispensing ophthalmic lens and frames. We were able to donate a variety of material for overseas learners starting their optical career.

“VAO is currently developing course materials for paediatric optometry and case management, which will initially be delivered to optometrists and ophthalmologists in Ethiopia. Some of the sessions from the refraction course using the material donated by Training 2000 can be used or adapted for these courses,” Tony added.

Visit the VAO website here.