The Rotary Club of Dhaka New City has undertaken a programme. People's Eye Awareness Programme (PEAP), with a view to improving eye health and preventing unnecessary blindness.

Introducing PEAP to a group of Journalists at the National Museum yesterday Dr Rashid Hyder, designer of the programme. who also served as an ophthalmologist abroad, said. "The main idea of the programme is to create awareness among the population. Many people including well-educated ones lack basic knowledge on eye care.”

He said. "There are no specific statistics available but it is estimated that more than one third of the blindness in third \vofld countries are due to lack of proper eye care. Blindness and other complications can be avoided by simple knowledge."

Dr Hyder added. "PEAP’s idea is to spread the basic edu-oation on eye care among the masses. I have developed a box (package) to enable a person who can read simple Bangla to follow its instructions. He can also spread the message."

The box contains video and audio cassettes, posters, handbills, booklets, stickers, compulsory school sight testing kits, letters to general practitioners and other instructions.

Through the messages in the box PEAP intends to educate as many people as possible about prevention of blindness and other complications related to eyes.

In a baseline study by Dhaka Urban Community Health Programme (DUCHP). it was found that a large portion of the respondents did not visit doctors despite suffering problems in their eyes.

"We are hoping to develop a sustainable programme so that experience gained through it can be made available to the common people who are still unaware about proper eye care procedures." Dr Hyder said.