Brazil Senate Hearing Calls for Early Diagnosis and Equity in Eye Care

The Senate's Social Affairs Commission held a public hearing on Wednesday to address preventable blindness in Brazil. Lawmakers and health officials urged a shift toward early eye‑examination for children and greater equity in ocular services, especially in rural, peripheral and Indigenous communities.

Senator Dr. Hiran (PP‑RR) advocated moving ophthalmology from high‑complexity hospitals to primary‑care health centers. Ministry of Health representative Camila Carloni Gasparro highlighted policies focused on children up to age seven, while Senator Marcos Pontes stressed early detection of glaucoma and diabetes‑related vision loss. Mauro Goldbaum of the Brazilian Ophthalmology Council noted that SUS performed 12.5 million eye consultations in 2024 and called for formal integration of eye care into primary care.

Speakers also proposed updating cataract and glaucoma treatment protocols, employing artificial‑intelligence tools, and training local technicians for mass screening. The hearing is part of preparations for a National Ocular Health Action Plan ahead of the Global Eye Health Summit in Antigua and Barbuda in November. Participants included representatives from the Pan‑American Health Organization, the World Health Organization, and the National Academy of Medicine, who emphasized the economic burden of blindness and the need for public‑sector strengthening.