Protocols involved in training allied ophthalmic personnel and setting up ocular microbiology laboratories in peripheral centers

Abstract

One of the most important causes of corneal blindness in our country is infective keratitis (IK). IK blinds at least 1.5 million eyes every year in the world; and its projected that India alone will have 0.6 million people blind due to IK by 2020. From studies describing it as a 'silent epidemic', to others referring to it as an 'ophthalmic emergency', IK is a problem which can not be ignored in a world of growing antibiotic resistance. The detailed protocols involved in setting the Ocular Microbiology set up and training staff would involve the core requirement in combating IK is to have targeted treatment specific to the causative microorganisms. This is possible when corneal scraping and microbiology work up is done for all patients presenting with IK. All eye hospitals and ophthalmologists should set up protocols for integrating microbiology services in their practice.We have been following the below training method and trained over 50 people from secondary centers, ophthalmic clinics and institutes . Before we thought of going ahead with this we had the consent and the ownership of the management to do so and they felt it was the need of the hour for such training protocols to be defined and implemented.We categorized the process into Capacity building,Infrastructure and Implementation and quality monitoring. The training also included Antibiotic Sensitivity .The process and reporting both were explained in detail. Also on how it was clinically relevant was explained.