The College of Ophthalmologists of Sri Lanka, the representative body for ophthalmologists in the nation, held its 31st annual congress at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo recently. This remarkable institution, established in 1991, traces its roots to the legacy of the Ophthalmology society of Sri Lanka.
The recent congress brought together a gathering of local and international luminaries in the field of ophthalmology and related sciences. These accomplished delegates have been at the forefront of groundbreaking developments in the realm of eye care.
Under the theme “Towards a novel era of eye care,” the conference provided a platform for the experts to exchange knowledge, discuss innovative strategies and shape the future of eye care in Sri Lanka.
It marked another milestone in the college’s ongoing mission to advance the practice of ophthalmology and elevate the standard of eye care within the country.
One of the important segments of the congress is the session for free paper and e-poster presentations, where academia showcases their scientific work and presents them to the field experts. This year there were many free paper presentations and posters that represented the field of Ophthalmology and related sciences.
Nomination and rewarding the best oral presentation from both ophthalmic research areas and the other related categories is customary at the college banquet held on the last day of the congress.
The research titled “Designing of a care delivery model to use Teleophthalmology for Sri Lankan context” in which Dr. Malinda De Silva was the principal investigator was selected as the “best oral presentation” in the other related category. The article focused on teleophthalmology, its potential to transform eye care, and the need for customisation and policy support align with the theme of moving towards a novel era of eye care. It highlights the importance of embracing innovative solutions to address the challenges and burdens associated with eye diseases, ultimately improving the quality of eye care and preventing blindness.
The presented work by Dr. De Silva is from research. This study revolved around the designing of a teleophthalmology care delivery model tailored to the unique context of Sri Lanka. Adopting a mixed method, the research has obtained expert opinions from Ophthalmologists as well as gauged the acceptance of teleophthalmology among primary care physicians. The research aimed to bridge the gap in eye care delivery, particularly in a region heavily burdened by preventable blindness and sight-threatening conditions.
Dr. Malinda De Silva is a Health Informatician with a Doctoral degree in Health Informatics awarded from the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo.
His current work is on introducing digital health technologies such as Artificial intelligence and Telemedicine to eye care delivery in the country, to further enhance quality, safety and efficiency of care.
