Partner Resources

Eye See You Partner Resources

Canadian Council for the Blind (CCB)

Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)

Eye Health (information on)
Living with Vision Loss (information on)
CNIB Services
- Access CNIB Services
- Career Connect Canada

The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB)

Information on:
- The Eye and the Retina
- Eye Disease
Current Research
Patient Registry
For Researchers

South Riverdale Community Health Centre (SRCHC)

Teleopthamology Program

World Blind Union (WBU)

General Documents
- Committee Reports/Updates and Resource Documents
- New Human Rights Reports: WBU Human Rights Report and WBU Report on Disability-Inclusive Disaster Management
Information on Braille
- A Letter to Louis Braille
- An explanation of Braille
- The Braille Literacy Crisis In America
- Braille Library Survey Results 2011
- The Dot (a poem about Braille)
- Overview of changes from current literary braille to Unified English Braille
- World Braille Council (WBC) comprehensive braille bibliography
- World Braille Day – 2010 Press Release
- WBC WBU strategic notes
Publications and Communications
- Annual and Quadrennial Reports
- E-Bulletins
- Other Publications
- WBU Books
Scholarships
WBU FAQ Sheets and Global Blindness Facts
WBU External Position Statements and Resource Papers

The Issue

Retinal diseases, including Age-related Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Retinopathy, cause irreversible vision loss in about 2 million Canadians.

The most advanced treatments available for many chronic diseases are biologic medicines. In Canada, as patents expire on biologics, there is a growing trend to switch treatments to the less costly alternative of biosimilar medicines, manufactured to be like a biologic.

Patients and health care professionals are generally concerned about the appropriate use of biosimilar medicines in rheumatology, gastroenterology, and other therapeutic areas, as evidence has shown that treatment protocols may not be interchangeable. As biosimilars are introduced to the field of ophthalmology, it is critical that patients, their families and health care professionals are aware of and inform the development of biosimilar policies.

Awareness of this emerging issue is the first step in overcoming uncertainty, inform the clinical consultation and ensuring biosimilar policies are patient-centered.