Saving sight, saving a nation

Historical Significance: This handsome book is a photo record of the East Timor Eye Project. The text is sparing and not satisfying for readers who want the facts but it does have photographs of a number of the volunteers, including Tasmanian optometrist Michael Knipe, was is named as the Provision Volunteer Optometrist. There are also photos and comment from the political leaders of East Timor. The author,Heather Stewart, (born 28 September 1976) is a British journalist, the joint Political Editor of The Guardian, and the former Economics (Business) Editor of The Observer.The East Timor Eye Program began in July 2000 in response to a request from the World Health Organisation to re-establish eye health services soon after Timor Leste gained independence from Indonesia. Its aim is to make Timor Leste self-sufficient in eye care services by 2020 and help eradicate preventable blindness. In the early years, the focus of the Program was on delivering curative eye care services. This included cataract and other ophthalmic surgery as well as the provision of spectacles to people affected by the conflict. Over the years, the focus of the Program has changed from service delivery towards capacity building. Significant progress has been made in reducing the country's severe cataract backlog - primarily through the combined efforts of visiting eye teams, monthly outreach visits, the placement of a long term expatriate ophthalmologist in-country as well as placement of trained eye care nurses and technicians throughout the country.