A sampling of who they are and how to get involved

Sight is a gift so many take for granted. But as eyecare providers, we witness, every day, the impact of giving back sight to our patients, whether through spectacles, pharmaceuticals, or procedures. Volunteering for, or making a charitable contribution to, organizations whose mission it is to cure blindness are other ways we can give the gift of sight.

Consider this: according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 36 million people are blind, including more than 19 million children. Additionally, more than 80% of all vision impairment can be prevented or cured globally, reports WHO.

Here, I discuss the non-profit organizations dedicated to curing blindness with which I personally am familiar.* Please keep in mind that there are a number of web sites that list various sight-related organizations equally worthy of your attention:

• https://blog.visionweb.com/the-ultimate-list-of-vision-charities-for-the-eyecare-industry
• https://www.aao.org/eyecare-america/resources/eye-health-organizations
• https://www.causeartist.com/organizations-impacting-the-world-vision

A Sampling

Combat Blindness International (www.combatblindness.org ). This organization is working to end preventable blindness across the globe. It is comprised of a number of initiatives: an International Cataract Program provides cataract surgeries to underserved areas; an International Pediatric Program screens children, providing spectacles and surgery for those who require it; a Certified Ophthalmic Paramedic Program, through short-term fellowships and hands-on clinical and surgical training, is building the skills and knowledge of the next generation of local providers; and an Eyecare Infrastructure Program helps to build eye hospitals in areas previously devoid of eye care or even medical care, and it has ensured that these centers are sustainable. One of my father’s (also an ophthalmologist) last requests was for family and friends to donate to this organization.

Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) (www.cureblindness.org ). This organization works to overcome hurdles to cataract care delivery to underserved, needlessly blind people in the developing world (e.g., Ethiopia, Ghana, etc.). Its efforts are focused on abolishing preventable and curable blindness by providing high-quality care, training local personnel, and establishing an eyecare infrastructure where most required. Educational and training opportunities are provided, in part, by affiliated U.S. ophthalmologists who volunteer to mentor a trainee. HCP’s main training facility is the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Orbis International (www.orbis.org/en ). This organization’s mission is to use its network of partners, supporters, staff, and volunteers to empower local communities (18 countries worldwide) with the skills and resources needed to fight blindness on their own. Also, Orbis works alongside eye teams in communities to provide training and guidance to create a long-term eyecare legacy. It offers such services as a flying eye hospital (comprised of an operating room, classroom, and recovery room), and Cybersight, a telemedicine platform that allows volunteers to teach and support global eyecare teams. Orbis has 400 volunteer ophthalmologists, nurses, anesthesiologists, and biomedical engineers from more than 30 countries.

SightLife (www.sightlife.org ). Audrey Talley Rostov, MD, a Seattle cornea specialist, worked with this group in India to help with skills training for local corneal surgeons. Its mission: to cure corneal blindness worldwide by 2040. Sightlife helps to build local corneal transplant programs around the world. Globally, it provides grants, training, certification, and consulting, free of charge, in areas such as policy and advocacy, and more, with the goal of creating sustainable ecosystems that ensure no waiting for sight-restoring surgery. CP

* Text based on and paraphrased from the information provided by the respective web sites.

DR. SINGH practices at the Eye Centers of Racine and Kenosha in Wisconsin, which was founded by his father, Dr. Kanwar A. Singh, in 1981. Dr. Singh has a passion for advancing education and technology, and is a founding member of the band Funkadesi.