Eye See You (ESY): Advocating for Options in Eye Health
The Eye See You (ESY): Advocating for Options in Eye Health program brought together patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and advocacy organisations to address issues affecting the vision health of Canadians, particularly those living with age-related vision complications.
Through cross-sector collaboration and knowledge exchange, ESY advanced discussions on patient-centred vision care and evidence-informed policy related to retinal diseases and biosimilars in ophthalmology. The program promoted informed decision-making and advocated for policies that support the needs, preferences, and experiences of patients.
While the program has concluded, the resources, partnerships, and insights developed through ESY continue to contribute to ongoing advocacy to support improved vision health, retinal disease management, and person-centred care as a critical pillar of healthy ageing.
Program Impact
ESY was guided by a commitment to protecting and respecting the rights of patients and their caregivers to make informed decisions regarding their vision health.
To support this objective, the program:
- Raised awareness of emerging vision-related policies.
- Facilitated access to educational resources about biosimilars.
- Connected Canadians with experts and thought leaders in vision health.
- Created opportunities for dialogue and engagement on issues affecting vision care and ophthalmology.
Throughout its duration, ESY fostered collaboration among patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers. The program helped elevate the patient voice in discussions surrounding vision care and biosimilar policy while promoting access to information and evidence-informed decision-making.
Partners and Collaborators
The success of the ESY program was made possible through the contributions of a diverse network of partners, patient organisations, healthcare professionals, researchers, and vision health advocates across Canada, including Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines (ASBM), Association québécoise de la dégénérescence maculaire (AQDM), Bayer, Canadian Council of the Blind, FADOQ, Fighting Blindness Canada, GI Society, and others.
The International Federation on Ageing gratefully acknowledges the expertise, guidance, and commitment of all those who participated in the ESY Network throughout the life of the program. Their collective efforts helped foster meaningful dialogue and support evidence-informed, patient-centred approaches to vision care in Canada.
IFA Position on Biosimilars in Ophthalmology
Drawing on the experiences of people living with vision loss and following extensive consultation with retinal specialists and patient organisations, the International Federation on Ageing supports the principle that treatment decisions for eye conditions should be safe, effective, appropriate, and determined by treating physicians in consultation with their patients.
Resources
Webinars and videos
Video: IFA Vision Health Month in Conversation with Dr. Keith Gordon
Working in vision health for more than a decade, the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) continues its engagement with ageing and vision health organizations, as partnerships are cornerstones for successful advocacy. Together with organizations such as the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB), the IFA advocates for the development of tailored policies derived from consultations between patients and physicians that support safe, effective, and appropriate management and treatment, specific to the needs of patients and their eye conditions.
To this extent, the IFA celebrates vision health month in conversation with Dr. Keith Gordon, Senior Research Officer of the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB) to shed light on recent biosimilars policies and their impact on patient care.