We see a world in which no person is needlessly blind or vision impaired. In 2023, our global impact was profound:
4.4 million
people screened
612,000
eye operations and treatments performed
6.9 million
people received antibiotics to combat trachoma
154,000
pairs of glasses were distributed
36,804
people, including surgeons, nurses, and teachers, were trained
1,951
medical facilities, training centres, and schools were upgraded or built
5.9 million
school children and community members were educated about eye health and sanitation
See the impact you are making across the world.
Health and wellbeing impact
Good vision is a game-changer for health and wellbeing. The Lancet Global Health Commission shows that eye care transforms lives. Vision loss raises the risk of early death, especially as it worsens. Access to eye care services not only reduces this risk, but also enhances mental health by empowering individuals to live independently and confidently.
Eye health interventions can restore or save sight and allow someone to continue working, caring for family members, and participating in community life, significantly improving their quality of life.
Social inclusion
Self-worth
Independence
Educational impact
Clear vision is crucial for success in school. Children with vision problems face more challenges learning and are often left behind.
By supporting eye health services, we ensure that children receive necessary interventions like glasses or corrective surgeries, enabling them to participate fully in their education. This support gives children the chance to reach their full potential, equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need for future success.
Educational participation
Workforce involvement
Productivity
Impact on standards of living
Vision loss leads to inequity, both caused by and resulting in poverty.
Addressing vision loss through accessible eye care services boosts workforce participation and productivity, creating more economic opportunities. Our eye health work helps fight poverty and hunger by enabling individuals to support their families, thereby enhancing economic security and living standards.
Economic opportunity
Community development
Strengthened health systems
“What we are doing is revolutionary, something the big health organizations aren’t doing. They send eye doctors. What we are doing is giving people the chance to help themselves. We are giving them independence.”
Eye health is a smart investment
Investing in eye health is not only vital for individual wellbeing, but offers big economic benefits. It makes good economic sense to invest in eye health. Vision loss costs the global economy US$410 billion every year in lost productivity. Treatments like cataract surgery and correcting refractive errors deliver strong economic returns.
Cataract treatment on average returns US$20.50 for every dollar spent
Refractive error treatments return on average US$10.80 for near-sightedness and US$8 for age-related vision loss
Building stronger health systems
The Foundation partners with local communities to strengthen and improve their eye health systems. Our aim is to establish sustainable systems that deliver high-quality eye care to those most in need, putting the country on a path toward eliminating avoidable blindness.
