Vision Science Academy conducted the Vision Science Talks observing World Blindness Awareness Month
London, UK – October 27, 2025 – Vision Science Academy (VSA) proudly conducted a highly insightful and action-oriented session of The Vision Science Talks on Sunday, October 26, 2025. The global webinar focused on a topic of immense public health importance: “From Awareness to Action: Tackling Preventable Blindness Through Early Detection and Access.” This event successfully brought together a global audience of clinicians, researchers, students, and public health advocates from various countries, reinforcing VSA’s dedication to advancing vision science education and promoting equitable access to care worldwide. The virtual event was conducted via Zoom.
Event Success and Session Details
The session was expertly managed by Kristi Sharma, and was highly interactive, beginning with a warm welcome and setting the stage for the critical discussion on overcoming disparities in eye care.
The speaker for this highly anticipated talk was Dr. Daniel Ayodele Femi, a Public Health Advocate and Project Manager at the Eyeland of Vision Foundation. Drawing from his extensive experience, particularly in under-served communities in Nigeria, Dr. Femi delivered a comprehensive presentation that moved beyond theoretical advocacy to focus on practical, scalable solutions for community-based eye care.
Figure 1: A Clip from the Presentation
Dr. Femi’s core message addressed the challenge of ensuring that awareness campaigns successfully transition into tangible actions, accessible diagnosis, timely referrals, and affordable treatment. The talk centred on the need to bridge the gap between knowing what to do and having the necessary systems in place to do it, especially for the most vulnerable populations. The engagement throughout the talk, culminating in an active Q&A, highlighted the universal relevance and urgency of this issue among the attendees.
Key Takeaways from the Session
- Seamless Integration: Effective programs must seamlessly integrate awareness, diagnosis, referral, and treatment to ensure continuity of care.
- Tech as an Enabler: Digital health is not a luxury but a necessary tool for accelerating access, especially for surgical interventions like cataract surgery.
- Community Ownership: Sustainability is achieved when programs gain deep community engagement and ownership, ensuring long-term impact.
The talk concluded with a renewed focus on action, urging participants to adopt and adapt these scalable approaches in their local contexts.
Figure 2: A Clip from the Q&A Session
Reflecting on the successful event, Kristi Sharma, Education Engagement Manager and host of the event, expressed her sincere appreciation:
“This session, led by Dr. Daniel Ayodele Femi, was a masterclass in translating passion into public health impact. The models he shared are blueprints for global eye care delivery. It gives us immense satisfaction that this talk resonated with a diverse, global audience, proving that the solution to preventable blindness lies in collaborative action and commitment to access.”
We look forward to translating the powerful insights from this session into actionable initiatives.
For our upcoming sessions with new experts in the domain of vision sciences, stay tuned to the Vision Science Academy website.