The importance of vision care for displaced populations: lessons from Israeli evacuees.

Abstract

Background: This study explores vision care priorities and coping mechanisms for Israeli evacuees and following the October 7th, 2023, attack by Hamas, which displaced 150,000 individuals, with about 15,000 being evacuated to the Dead Sea area. Faced with minimal health care infrastructure in the Dead Sea area and often lacking personal belongings, including eyeglasses and ocular medicine, these evacuees confronted significant vision care challenges. This context sets the stage for investigating the emergency vision care needs and solutions for populations affected by conflict and displacement.

Methods: In response to this crisis, a consortium led by Hadassah Academic College's Department of Optometry and the Dept. of Ophthalmology at Hadassah Medical Center established ophthalmic clinics in the Dead Sea region. These clinics offered comprehensive vision care services, including refractive and vision examinations, ophthalmological assessments, ocular imaging, and provision of free glasses. The setup included multiple stations for different vision tests, staffed by an interdisciplinary team of professionals. The study analyzes the effectiveness of these clinics, patient flow challenges, and the psychological impact of vision care in a crisis setting.

Results: Approximately 800 evacuees received examinations, with around 700 pairs of glasses distributed. Notable cases included emergency referrals for serious conditions and instances where glasses served as psychological support. The operation highlighted the necessity of vision care during crises and its potential psychological and social implications. The clinics successfully provided immediate vision care, but challenges in patient flow and insufficient electronic medical record integration were noted. The experience underscores the importance of prepared eye care interventions in crises. Recommendations for health policy decision-makers include establishing a national emergency vision care network, developing standardized treatment protocols, training local health workers, and raising public awareness about eye health in emergencies.

Conclusions: The consortium's effort in providing urgent vision care to evacuees from the Hamas attack on Israel demonstrates the critical role of rapid, organized eye care in crisis situations. Vision care, along with hearing and mobility, is often overlooked during evacuations but is vital for the well-being and survival of evacuees, especially under trying circumstances. This project serves as a model for future humanitarian interventions, emphasizing the importance of addressing overlooked healthcare issues once the immediate crisis has passed, and the need for strategic planning in health care policy for similar emergency scenarios.