A Life Built Around Preventing Vision Loss in Children

Pamela Williams, M.D., Clinical Instructor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, has been named Chair of the Advisory Board for the Children’s Eye Foundation of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) “Our mission is to end preventable blindness and improve the lives of visually impaired children,” she said. “The earlier we can detect and treat vision loss, the better.” The foundation’s programs in the U.S. and other countries screen, treat and provide financial assistance to uninsured or underinsured children. One program, Stop Infant Blindness in Africa (SIBA), addresses Retinopathy of Prematurity, an eye disease in pre-term infants. With improvements in medical care, these babies are able to survive but may face issues with their vision due to their early birth. “By teaching physicians in Africa how to screen and treat patients, we can help improve vision outcomes for preterm infants.”