Recent Research By Global Impact Fellows

India

• "Predictors of and Barriers Associated With Poor Follow-up in Patients With Glaucoma in South India," Bradford Lee, MSc, Medical Student, Stanford University School of Medicine. [Publication: Arch Ophthalmol. 2008 Oct;126(10):1448-54.]

• "The Use of Visual Aid in Informed Consent for Cataract Surgery in an Indigenous, South Indian Population," Abraar Karan, Undergraduate, Yale University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Chennai, India and Program Development Fellow in Honduras [Manuscript Summary; Presentation: Unite For Sight Global Health and Innovation Summit, April 2009]

• "The Use of New Visual Aids in Informed Consent for Cataract Surgery in an Indigenous, South Indian Population," Prashanth Somasundaram, Undergraduate, Saint Louis University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Chennai, India

• "Prevalence of Visual Impairment and Surveys on Patient Perception and Knowledge of Eye Care in Chennai, India," Zhuo Su, Undergraduate, Yale University & Bing Qing Wang, Undergraduate, University of Toronto; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows in Chennai, India [Poster Presentation at ARVO 2010 Annual Meeting and Pamphlet; Oral Presentation at 2010 Unite For Sight Global Health & Innovation Conference; Oral Presentation at 2010 Canadian Ophthalmological Society]

• "The Effect of Gender Depiction in Visual Aids on Patient Perceptions of Cataract Surgeries in an Indigent, Central Indian Population," Benjamin Long, Undergraduate, Yale University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Orissa, India

• "An Objective Evaluation of Eye Drop Instillation in Postoperative Cataract Patients," Samuel Icaza, Undergraduate, Brandeis University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Patna, India

• "Patient Perceptions of Eye Disease and Treatment in Bihar, India," Kirti Kewalramani, Northeastern University; Brayden Lundquist, University of Utah; Nishant Sharma, University of Saskatchewan School of Medicine; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows in Patna, India

• "Patient Barriers to Cataract Care in India," Matthew Jackson, Undergraduate, University of Buffalo; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Chennai, India

• "Does Seeing Mean Believing? The Effects of Pictograms in Educating a Rural South Indian Population on the Use of Postoperative Cataract Medication," Puneet Singh Braich, Medical Student, Ross University School of Medicine; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Chennai, India

• "An Objective Study of the Proficiency of Eye Drop Instillation in Orissa Patients," Peter Kaufman, Yale University; Christopher Marino, The College of Wooster; Uttara Partap, Williams College

• "A Study of Graphic Instructional Aids in Southern India Eye Care," Josh Agranat, Brandeis University; Nelson Mendoza, Yale University; Charlotte Page, Yale University; Shria Paraashar; Vimarsha Swami, McGill University; Nick Simmons-Stern, Yale University;

• "Patient Barriers to Cataract Surgery in Southern India," Nicole Nishanian, California State University San Bernardino; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Chennai, India

• "Survey of Patient Opinions on Eyeglasses and Eye Care in Rural and Slum Populations in Chennai," Kashmira Chawla, Undergraduate, Drake University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Chennai, India

• "The Prevalence, Use, and Perceived Effects of Complementary Alternative Medicines and Treatments in Bihar, India," Kristin Ow Chapman, Medical Student, NYU School of Medicine; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Bihar, India [Presentation: Unite For Sight Global Health and Innovation Summit, April 2009]

Ghana

• "Analysis of Age and Severity of Presentation of Open Angle Glaucoma in a Ghanaian Population," Andrew Francis, Medical Student, Boston University School of Medicine; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana [Presentations: Poster Presentation at ARVO 2010 Annual Meeting and Oral Presentation at Unite For Sight Global Health & Innovation Conference 2010]

• "Outcome of Trabeculectomies With Adjunctive Antifibronic Agents in the Management of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma," Naveed Chaudhry, Undergraduate, University of Maryland; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana [Presentations: Poster Presentation at 2010 Unite For Sight Global Health & Innovation Conference]

• "Risk Factors for Moderate and Severe Glaucoma in a Ghanaian Population," Yifan Chen, Undergraduate, Yale University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana

• "Barriers to Glaucoma Care in Ghana," Trenton Bowen, Undergraduate, Arizona State University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana

• "Factors Affecting Adherence to Glaucoma Medications in Ghana," Bonita Tsai, Undergraduate, McMaster University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana

• "Proficiency of Eye Drop Instillation in Postoperative Cataract Patients in Ghana," Linda Liu, Undergraduate, University of British Columbia; Tiffany Shiau, Medical Student, Jefferson Medical College; Amanda Murdoch; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows in Ghana

• "Effectiveness of Visual Diagrams Depicting Post-Operative Cataract Treatment: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in Accra, Ghana," Darrell Lewis and Marie Noland, Medical Students, University of Ottawa; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellows in Ghana

• "Factors Involved in the Choice Between Surgery and Couching for Cataract Treatment in Northern Ghana," Lauren Wallace, University of Guelph; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana

• "Researching the Traditional Remedies and Treatments Used and Why They Are Sought Out Over Preferred Treatments," Claire Fisher, Undergraduate, University of Notre Dame; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana

• "Identifying Female Barriers to Cataract Surgery in Accra, Ghana," Noelle Kelly, Undergraduate, Duke University

• "Patient Perceptions Regarding Eyeglasses in Ghana," Dimas Espinola, MPH Student, University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Health; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana

• "Lens Couching For Cataract in Rural Regions of Northern Ghana," Ee Rah Sung, Undergraduate, Dickinson College; Global Impact Fellow in Ghana

• "A QALY-Based Analysis of Eyecare Valuation in Ghana," Erica Leavitt, Undergraduate, Princeton University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana [Presentation: Oral Presentation at Unite For Sight Global Health & Innovation Conference 2010]

• "Seeing The Self: Portaits and Self-Perception Among Ghanaians With Varying Visual Capacity," Rebecca Burger-Caplan, Undergraduate, Haverford College; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana [Presentation: Oral Presentation at Unite For Sight Global Health & Innovation Conference 2010]

• "Patient-Perceived Barriers To Eye Care in Remote Rural Villages Around Accra, Ghana," Katherine Wu, Undergraduate University of Pennsylvania; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana

• "Socioeconomic Challenges of Patients with Clinical Blindness in Rural Ghana," Yuen Chan, Undergraduate, University of Kentucky; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana

• "Quality of Life and The Importance of Sight: Ghanaian Versus American Utility Values," Blair Irwin, MBA, MS, Medical Student, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Accra, Ghana [Presentation: Unite For Sight Global Health and Innovation Summit, April 2009]

• "Seeing Past The Symptoms: Medical Narratives of Ghanaian Eye Patients," Ashley Kilp, Undergraduate, Carnegie Mellon University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Ghana

• "Accessibility to Health Care: A Survey-Based Study of the Barriers Facing Patients in Rural Ghana," Amogh Sivarapatna, Undergraduate, University of Virginia; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Accra, India [Presentation: Unite For Sight Global Health and Innovation Summit, April 2009]

• "Demographics and Prevalence of Eye Problems in Northern Ghana and Rationale for Treatment," Katherine Hill, Undergraduate, University of Utah; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Tamale, Ghana

Honduras

• "Assessing Barriers to Eye Care in Honduras," Emily Foxhall, Undergraduate, Yale University; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Honduras

• "Honduras Eye Disease Study," Alice Kim, Undergraduate, University of Southern California; Unite For Sight Global Impact Fellow in Honduras

Methodology

Unite For Sight and its partner eye clinics compile research study questions for Global Impact Fellows to pursue. In collaboration with Unite For Sight and the partner eye clinic, the Global Impact Fellow works with a university mentor to design the research study. Global Impact Fellows are required to receive Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval from their university prior to implementing their study. They are also required to complete Unite For Sight's curriculum in Global Health Research, which prepares researchers for the critical ethical and methodological issues involved with research in the developing world.

Steps For Prospective Global Impact Fellows Interested in Research

The complete step-by-step Global Impact Lab guide can be seen at http://www.uniteforsight.org/global-impact-lab/