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	<title>Partnerships Archives - Operation Eyesight</title>
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	<description>For All The World To See</description>
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	<title>Partnerships Archives - Operation Eyesight</title>
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		<title>Measuring impact and driving change through research &#038; advocacy</title>
		<link>https://oearchive.swoondev.site/measuring-impact-and-driving-change-through-research-advocacy/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Caroline Wagner]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:59:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Hospitals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Partnerships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Peek Vision]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Research & Advocacy]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.operationeyesight.com/?p=166756</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Every time one of our community health workers interacts with a family during a door-to-door eye heath survey, she starts to collect data: the number of people in the house, their visual acuity scores, referrals given… and the list goes on. It all goes into a database so we can analyze the information and offer&#8230; <a class="more-link" href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/measuring-impact-and-driving-change-through-research-advocacy/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Measuring impact and driving change through research &#38; advocacy</span></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/measuring-impact-and-driving-change-through-research-advocacy/">Measuring impact and driving change through research &amp; advocacy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site">Operation Eyesight</a>.</p>
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<p>Every time one of our community health workers interacts with a family during a door-to-door eye heath survey, she starts to collect data: the number of people in the house, their visual acuity scores, referrals given… and the list goes on. It all goes into a database so we can analyze the information and offer the community the best services possible.</p>



<p>As an international development organization and registered charity, we live in a world of data. The numbers we collect help us evaluate our programs, find efficiencies, show our impact and so much more. Our data builds trust with partners and donors, and it is the bedrock of one of our five programming areas: research and advocacy.</p>



<p>Thanks to our reputation as an organization that collects reliable data, we are increasingly being called on to participate in a variety of studies, and to add valuable input into policy decisions throughout the globe. Our growing credibility has opened doors to exciting opportunities, including leading major studies that shape national health strategies.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Ghana’s national blindness study</h4>



<p>When Operation Eyesight began talks with Ghana’s Ministry of Health in 2006, with an eye on expanding our services into that country, what quickly became apparent was a lack of the kind of baseline data that we need when building our programs. After more discussions, it was decided that gathering that information would be one of Operation Eyesight’s first tasks in the country. Working with government ministries, along with several other organizations, we led the country’s first-ever <a href="https://www.iapb.org/wp-content/uploads/Ghana-Study-BVIS-8_6_2017_-Final-edit.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Blindness and Visual Impairment study</a>.</p>



<p>At the helm of the study was our Technical Advisor, <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/dr-boateng-wiafe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Boateng Wiafe</a>, a widely respected ophthalmologist known for his decades of work advancing sustainable eye care across Africa.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="960" height="540" src="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/22.03.22_Eclipse_Ghana_Day02_DSC00182_edited.webp" alt="A baby sitting on her mother's knee has her eye examined with a flashlight. " class="wp-image-166758" srcset="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/22.03.22_Eclipse_Ghana_Day02_DSC00182_edited.webp 960w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/22.03.22_Eclipse_Ghana_Day02_DSC00182_edited-450x253.webp 450w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/22.03.22_Eclipse_Ghana_Day02_DSC00182_edited-768x432.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>An infant in Ghana’s Awutu Senya District has her eye examined by a community health worker. Our expertise in collecting data at the community level helped us lead Ghana’s first-ever National Blindness Study.</em></figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>Dr. James Addy, a co-investigator on the study and the former head of eye care with Ghana Health Service, recalls the lack of data at the time.</p>



<p>“We realized that we had only about two or three – not many – eye indicators in the platform that actually generates data for the country,” he says. “And from that study, we realized that 0.74 per cent of the population are blind … And then we had 1.07 per cent of the population having severe visual impairment. And so, putting everything together, it was about 1.5 million people who actually have visual problems.”</p>



<p>Published in 2015, <a href="https://youtu.be/FFuCWTMcsmo?si=GojHUNxZABzShfql" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the study</a> continues to be a vital resource.</p>



<p>“The blindness and visual impairment study has been the go-to document for the government itself and all other non-governmental organizations working as far as eye health is concerned to plan their programs,” says Ghana Country Director <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/about/our-team/emmanuel-kwasi-kumah/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Emmanuel Kumah</a>, adding that it also informed the development of Ghana’s national eye health policy.</p>



<p>Data from the study was instrumental in the creation of the <a href="https://citinewsroom.com/2018/09/ghs-launches-national-cataract-outreach-program/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Cataract Outreach Program</a>, which offers quality cataract services to people in difficult-to-reach areas. The study’s findings also helped attract social enterprise and charitable eyeglasses providers to the country by proving the need for low-cost vision wear. Today, we’re looking for partners to help us update the nationwide study, ensuring Ghana’s eye health programs continue to be built on solid, current data.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Evaluating our programs on the ground</h4>



<p>An important part of our work is bringing eye care closer to underserved communities, which means establishing vision centres and eye units in collaboration with our partner hospitals. These facilities offer comprehensive eye exams, dispense eyeglasses, offer various treatments and refer more complex cases to the partner hospital. Some of these clinics are built in remote, rural areas, while others are established in busy, densely populated urban areas.</p>



<p>One of our urban vision centres is in a bustling, low-income neighbourhood in Pune, Maharashtra, India. To get a stronger understanding of its benefit to the community, the vision centre was the <a href="https://journals.lww.com/ijo/Fulltext/2022/05000/Vision_centre_helps_reduce_blindness_and_vision.62.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">subject of a study</a> led by the Community for Eye Care Foundation and members of our team in India. Over the four years of the study, 44,000 people living in the area were surveyed at two intervals by community health workers to track their eye conditions and their eye care-seeking behaviours.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" width="960" height="540" src="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/23.01.25_Eclipse_India_Day02_malavoie-234478-web.webp" alt="Three women stand outside their home talking to two community health workers in matching uniforms. One of the health workers takes notes on a clipboard." class="wp-image-166760" srcset="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/23.01.25_Eclipse_India_Day02_malavoie-234478-web.webp 960w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/23.01.25_Eclipse_India_Day02_malavoie-234478-web-450x253.webp 450w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/23.01.25_Eclipse_India_Day02_malavoie-234478-web-768x432.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Community health workers visit a home in Ron, Karnataka, India in 2023. Through repeat household visits, community health workers develop relationships with families, leading to an increase in people actively seeking eye health care.</em></figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>What they found is that the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment in the community was reduced by nearly 62 per cent over the four years. Women continued to have a higher prevalence of blindness, but the gender gap narrowed during that same time span. The study found that more women visited the vision centre than men, and that more people made themselves available for a repeat eye examination during the second door-to-door survey. The study’s authors attribute these changes to the gentle nudging of the community health workers through their door-to-door surveys, and the existence of a nearby vision centre served by a predominantly female staff.</p>



<p>Our own CEO, <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/about/our-team/kashinath-bhoosnurmath/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kashinath Bhoosnurmath</a> and former Program Manager Soumya Moosa (now a Teaching Assistant at the University of Southern Mississippi), were co-authors of the study, published in 2022 in the India Journal of Ophthalmology.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Studying the economic gains of good eyesight</h4>



<p>Our participation in health studies continues to grow, with Operation Eyesight on board to gather data in Kenya for a joint study, between the London School of Hygiene &amp; Tropical Medicine and other partners, that’s investigating the economic benefits of correcting near-vision impairment (presbyopia) in adults.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/expert-opinion/how-affordable-reading-glasses-could-save-global-economy-billions">five-year study</a> will look specifically at adults ages 35 to 65 with presbyopia by running two randomized controlled trials in India and Kenya. With 20,000 patients to be engaged across two countries, participants will either receive reading glasses at the outset or be placed in a control group without them, with the latter group receiving glasses at the end. The investigators will collect data at baseline, then one and two years in, to evaluate the impact that having – or <em>not </em>having – glasses has had on participants by looking at household spending, quality of life, employment, work productivity and income.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-full"><img decoding="async" width="400" height="533" src="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Jacline_Chelagat_1.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-166763" srcset="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Jacline_Chelagat_1.webp 400w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Jacline_Chelagat_1-338x450.webp 338w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Shopkeeper Jackline shows her daughter an app on her smartphone, which she uses to process transactions in her store in Nandi County, Kenya. As she entered her late forties, she was finding it difficult to manage the transactions on the phone because of her worsening near vision. After receiving a pair of reading glasses through our community eye health program, she is running her shop with restored confidence.</em></figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>Operation Eyesight’s role is to identify patients to enrol in the study in Kenya – and to continue managing patients with other eye health problems that don’t meet the parameters of the study. Participants will be selected from Kisii County, where we’re already running community eye health programs.</p>



<p>Senior Program Manager Edwin Wanjala Simiyu is overseeing Operation Eyesight’s participation in the study.</p>



<p>“Operation Eyesight was selected to work on this study because of our historical engagement with Peek Vision, with whom we’ve successfully&nbsp;implemented several projects,” he explains, referring to our longtime partner who created the eye health technology that will be used to gather data for the study.</p>



<p>He adds that the study is helping us foster important new collaborations. “Partnerships bring on board new ideas that shape project implementation and impact. It also reduces the project unit cost due to shared responsibilities.”</p>



<p>Gathering evidence on the effectiveness and economic impact of eye health treatments – such as a simple, low-cost pair of reading glasses – helps us demonstrate to decision makers how they can improve lives and livelihoods through cost-effective solutions.</p>



<p><strong>Using our insights to advocate for eye health care</strong></p>



<p>Members of our international team are frequently invited to sit down with various government agencies to offer their knowledge – sharing lessons hard-learned through years of program delivery. &nbsp;</p>



<p>In Kenya, while focusing on the Universal Eye Health Coverage agenda, we worked with the ministry of health to review the World Health Organization’s Primary Eye Care Training manual to better standardize primary eye care delivery nationwide, while in Ghana, we participated in a joint press conference hosted by that country’s ministry of health ahead of <a href="https://www.iapb.world/world_sight_day">World Sight Day</a>.</p>



<p>In addition, we are increasingly being called upon to act as technical partners, where we share our expertise on creating and managing sustainable eye health programs. Over the past few years, our team in India has worked closely with the health ministries of state governments in Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and, more recently, Meghalaya to establish vision care facilities within already-existing government health centres, such as Health and Wellness Centres.</p>



<p>Now, we’re looking to spread awareness in Canada, where our head office is located, though our involvement in the <a href="https://lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/n-16.77/page-1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Strategy for Eye Care Act</a>. The act, passed in November 2024, aims to provide equal access to eye health care services across Canada and to improve the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of eye conditions for all.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="960" height="539" src="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/JSgro-and-Elizabeth-Roden_web.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-166764" srcset="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/JSgro-and-Elizabeth-Roden_web.webp 960w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/JSgro-and-Elizabeth-Roden_web-450x253.webp 450w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/JSgro-and-Elizabeth-Roden_web-768x431.webp 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Director of Marketing and Communications Elizabeth Roden shakes hands with Judy Sgro, the Member of Parliament who introduced the Bill that led to Canada’s new eye care act during a visit to Ottawa in 2022.</em></figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>In Canada, vision care is covered by a complex framework of provincial and federal regulations, meaning that coverage varies widely between provinces and territories. For routine vision care – like eye exams and prescription eyeglasses – many Canadians need to pull from health insurance to cover the costs. Those who are uninsured may have to pay out of pocket. These inequities are what the act proposes to address.</p>



<p>Now, as the chair of the Canadian Eye Health Coalition, Operation Eyesight is helping shape the framework for the national strategy. That means meeting regularly with like-minded partners and policymakers to continue the important work of making eye health care more equitable and accessible across the country.</p>



<p>Global Director <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/about/our-team/kris-kelm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kris Kelm</a> says that we’re well poised to inform decisions because of our decades of experience delivering sustainable eye health programs.</p>



<p>“We have the opportunity to shape what the developing policy is going to look like and how it’s actually going to affect Canadians,” he says. “As a non-profit dedicated to eye health and ensuring equitable access for all – regardless of socioeconomic status – it’s critical that we’re part of the conversation.”</p>



<p>Operation Eyesight is also a proud member of <a href="https://www.iapb.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IAPB</a>, adding to the collective, global voice advocating for the prioritization of eye health. Next year, we will participate in the first ever Global Eye Health Summit, which will bring together governments, organizations and the private sector to foster collaboration and mobilize action.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Focusing on the future</h4>



<p>As we continue to collect data from communities around the world, we’re not just measuring outcomes, we’re helping to shape them. Every survey completed and every study published brings us closer to a world where quality eye care is accessible to all.</p>



<p>Whether it’s through national studies, local program evaluations or global research collaborations, we remain committed to using data as a tool for change. As we keep pushing for fair and accessible eye health care around the world, we’re proud to build on the knowledge and trust we’ve earned from the communities we work with. After all, they’re the reason we do what we do – <em>For All The World To See</em>.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/measuring-impact-and-driving-change-through-research-advocacy/">Measuring impact and driving change through research &amp; advocacy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site">Operation Eyesight</a>.</p>
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		<title>Eyeglasses bring hope and better grades to Fassikaw  </title>
		<link>https://oearchive.swoondev.site/eyeglasses-bring-hope-and-better-grades-to-fassikaw/</link>
					<comments>https://oearchive.swoondev.site/eyeglasses-bring-hope-and-better-grades-to-fassikaw/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Admin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2025 16:11:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Annual Report]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Child Eye Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Communities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eyeglasses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Partnerships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[School Eye Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[donor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethiopia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hospital partnership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[partner hospitals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prescription eyeglasses]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[school eye health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[school project]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[school screenings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vision loss]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.operationeyesight.com/?p=165820</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>An eight-year-old second-grade student in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, regained clear vision thanks to free eyeglasses from Operation Eyesight’s School Eye Health Program.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/eyeglasses-bring-hope-and-better-grades-to-fassikaw/">Eyeglasses bring hope and better grades to Fassikaw  </a> appeared first on <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site">Operation Eyesight</a>.</p>
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<p>Eight-year-old Fassikaw lives in Bahir Dar, where he goes to a local primary school. A second-grade student, he once faced challenges that threatened his education and well-being.&nbsp;</p>



<p>When Fassikaw was in first grade, he began to have trouble seeing objects far away. Reading books and the blackboard became difficult. Sitting in the middle or back of the classroom, he often had to borrow his classmates’ exercise books to copy notes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>At home, reading took him a long time. His eyes often watered, and his grades began to drop. More than his grades, his parents worried about his worsening vision and the way it was affecting his mood and sleep. Fassikaw even spoke about leaving school.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Around this time, his family learned about our <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/schooleyehealth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">School Eye Health Program</a> run in partnership with Partners in Education Ethiopia. The program offers free diagnosis and eyeglasses to students in need.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="has-normal-font-size">After hearing this, his family went to the hospital and Fassikaw’s eyes were checked. At the hospital, tests revealed that Fassikaw’s vision required strong corrective lenses: +15.00 for his left eye and +16.00 for his right. Thanks to our partners and generous donors, he received the eyeglasses at no cost. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Fassikaw-2-webpp-1024x576.webp" alt=" Fassikaw wearing glasses sits on the same bench, reading the book at a comfortable distance with improved posture and focus. " class="wp-image-165821" srcset="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Fassikaw-2-webpp-1024x576.webp 1024w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Fassikaw-2-webpp-450x253.webp 450w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Fassikaw-2-webpp-768x432.webp 768w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Fassikaw-2-webpp-1536x864.webp 1536w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Fassikaw-2-webpp-1568x882.webp 1568w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Fassikaw-2-webpp.webp 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> With a new pair of glasses, Fassikaw can now read comfortably and see the world more clearly.</figcaption></figure>



<p>Today, Fassikaw can read easily from anywhere in the classroom. At home, he reads without headaches or watery eyes. His grades have improved, and his class ranking has risen from 27<sup>th</sup> to 21<sup>st</sup>, with steady progress.&nbsp;</p>



<p>His father says their son is now happy and confident, and the family can sleep without worry. <em>“With God’s help, we hope you will never have to worry about anything,”</em> he says with gratitude. </p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Did you know?</em></strong><br>Bringing eye health care to students is an investment in their education and their future. Globally, 450 million children have an eye condition that requires treatment; of these, 448 million have refractive errors that only require eye exams and eyeglasses (<a href="https://visionatlas.iapb.org/topics/child-eye-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Source: IAPB Vision Atlas – Child Eye Health).</a> The cost of eyeglasses in our countries of work is approximately C$20. </h4>



<p>By providing eyeglasses through school-based eye health programs, we can transform the lives of children like Fassikaw, helping them see clearly, succeed in school and embrace a brighter future. Give the <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/?form=Canada" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gift of Sight</a> today.  </p>



<p><strong>Our Work in Ethiopia</strong>&nbsp;<br>Since beginning our work in <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/ethiopia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Ethiopia</em></a> in 2018, we’ve made significant strides toward preventing avoidable vision loss. In 2024, our programs reached more than 33,424 people through eye health screenings, treatment, training and community outreach. From surveying over 14,000 residents in Debre Work to training frontline workers and teachers, screening students and providing eyeglasses, we are building lasting capacity for quality eye care. Read more about our work in Ethiopia in our 2024 Annual Report. <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/annualreport2024/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>Download it here.</em></strong></a>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/eyeglasses-bring-hope-and-better-grades-to-fassikaw/">Eyeglasses bring hope and better grades to Fassikaw  </a> appeared first on <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site">Operation Eyesight</a>.</p>
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		<title>Bold vision, courageous leadership: an interview with Sightsavers CEO Dr. Caroline Harper</title>
		<link>https://oearchive.swoondev.site/an-interview-with-sightsavers-ceo-dr-caroline-harper/</link>
					<comments>https://oearchive.swoondev.site/an-interview-with-sightsavers-ceo-dr-caroline-harper/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Elizabeth Roden, Director, Marketing and Communications]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Oct 2024 15:18:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Our Partners]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Partnerships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elizabeth Roden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SDG 17]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.operationeyesight.com/?p=162551</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>There are valuable lessons the global eye health sector can learn from the corporate world, and Dr. Caroline Harper is proof. Dr. Harper joined Sightsavers as CEO in 2005, following a career in the oil and gas sector, bringing with her fresh perspectives on leadership, partnership and innovation. Over the past two decades, she has&#8230; <a class="more-link" href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/an-interview-with-sightsavers-ceo-dr-caroline-harper/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">Bold vision, courageous leadership: an interview with Sightsavers CEO Dr. Caroline Harper</span></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/an-interview-with-sightsavers-ceo-dr-caroline-harper/">Bold vision, courageous leadership: an interview with Sightsavers CEO Dr. Caroline Harper</a> appeared first on <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site">Operation Eyesight</a>.</p>
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<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>There are valuable lessons the global eye health sector can learn from the corporate world, and Dr. Caroline Harper is proof.</em></p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Dr. Harper joined </em><a href="https://www.sightsavers.org/"><em>Sightsavers</em></a><em> as CEO in 2005, following a career in the oil and gas sector, bringing with her fresh perspectives on leadership, partnership and innovation.</em></p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Over the past two decades, she has helped grow the already-successful organization to be synonymous with eye health across the development sector. Her career is a testament to how courageous leadership transcends industries and can elevate an organization to tackle big challenges.</em></p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>With a PhD in energy studies from the University of Cambridge, her approach to leadership centres on leveraging local strengths and partnerships.</em></p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Operation Eyesight is proud to partner with Sightsavers on projects in Africa, and together with others we have helped pioneer the </em><a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/avoidable-blindness/trachoma/"><em>SAFE strategy to eliminate blinding trachoma</em></a><em>, which is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in the region.</em></p>



<p><em><strong>I caught up with Dr. Harper in Mexico City in June 2024, at the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness’ 2030 IN SIGHT LIVE event, where she offered valuable insights on women leaders and the future of leadership in the global eye health space.</strong></em></p>



<p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">What role do women leaders play when it comes to making and leading global change, like achieving the </mark></strong><a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/sustainable-development-goals/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color"><strong>United Nations Sustainable Development Goals</strong></mark></a><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">, for example?</mark></strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-kadence-image kb-image162551_bfd04e-8f"><figure class="alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1642" height="2158" src="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/charper-photo-scaled-e1727972638672.webp" alt="Caroline Harper" class="kb-img wp-image-162617" srcset="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/charper-photo-scaled-e1727972638672.webp 1642w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/charper-photo-scaled-e1727972638672-342x450.webp 342w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/charper-photo-scaled-e1727972638672-779x1024.webp 779w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/charper-photo-scaled-e1727972638672-768x1009.webp 768w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/charper-photo-scaled-e1727972638672-1169x1536.webp 1169w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/charper-photo-scaled-e1727972638672-1558x2048.webp 1558w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/charper-photo-scaled-e1727972638672-1568x2061.webp 1568w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1642px) 100vw, 1642px" /><figcaption>Dr. Caroline Harper</figcaption></figure></div>



<p style="padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">In my experience, particularly in the global eye health sector, there are quite a lot of people at the senior levels who are women, and it’s pretty good in terms of gender balance. Many leaders of some of the big International NGOs, such as <a href="https://helenkellerintl.org/">Helen Keller International</a> and the <a href="https://cureblindness.org/">Cure Blindness Project</a>, have been women.&nbsp;</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">What I have found more interesting are some of the challenges women face at the country level.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">In meeting with women’s networks, we’ve realized that a lot of the challenges have not been in the actual workplace itself; but women trying to be leaders have faced pressures due to cultural expectations. In Asia, some women I spoke with have family who say to them, “How can you travel? How can you go on your own to a hotel? You know, that&#8217;s not decent.” Or, they may be expected to look after the home rather than pursue a career.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">Women have shared with me that this is a big challenge; whereas at the global level, I think the gender mix of leaders is pretty equal.</p>



<p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">Having worked across industries, have you ever found that as a woman you had to work harder or speak louder in order to be heard?</mark></strong></p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">Well, I’ve always felt very loud, so I think that’s just kind of me anyway.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">When I was getting my job with Sightsavers, I was coming from the private sector of oil and gas, and I thought, “Why are they going to want me? I haven’t got eye health experience. I haven’t got development or even charity experience.” So, I needed to stand out.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">And so, I was very loud – I wore a bright blue silk jacket with huge earrings, and I was, in England you call them “Marmite candidates.” Half the trustees loved me, and half the trustees thought, “My, she’s loud.”<br><br>That was more about trying to be convincing in an environment where I thought I wasn’t the natural player, more than because I was a woman.</p>



<p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">Coming from an oil and gas background, are there skills or experiences that have served you well in your role leading Sightsavers?</mark></strong></p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">I think everybody assumes it’s hugely different, but it’s stunningly similar. You&#8217;re running an organization, so that means that it’s all about managing people. And people are people, you know. They have similar motivations – they want to do a really good job, they want intellectual stimulation, they want to feel they matter – and so, that was the same.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">Actually, when you look at project management, there are a lot of similar skills in managing a project in oil and gas and managing an INGO program. Fundraising is basically sales and marketing, building relations and making people feel good that they’ve done something. It’s like selling anything; it’s very similar skills. Then of course, you’ve got financial management, IT and so on; it’s the same.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">For me, the skills that I learned running an organization, working with people, were very translatable across industries. There are a few differences; people care more about salaries, or money, in the corporate world, while I found that in INGOs, people care more about status, or job titles. You still have all kinds of interesting challenges.</p>



<p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">What do you think the development sector could learn from the private sector?</mark></strong></p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">The biggest contrast I found between the two sectors was the speed of action. When I came to Sightsavers, I found the NGO sector was very slow and very consensus-driven, so they wouldn’t make decisions until they had consulted with everyone and had everyone in agreement. Sometimes that led to a solution that was perhaps not as bold as it could be, to avoid controversy.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">Whereas the corporate sector often has a decisive, get-things-done, move-ahead approach. Sometimes, of course, that means the corporate sector does leave people behind, because that approach doesn’t depend on building consensus.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">This is the difference that really struck me when I came into the sector, and this is where the two sectors can learn from each other.<br></p>



<p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">What role do you think the private sector can play in achieving </mark></strong><a href="https://www.iapb.org/about/2030-in-sight/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#588fb5" class="has-inline-color">2030 IN SIGHT</mark></strong></span></em></a><strong><em><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#1b86cc" class="has-inline-color">?</mark></em></strong></p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">The private sector has a huge role to play in 2030 IN SIGHT, particularly in the refractive error side, where the private sector’s the big player in the provision of eyeglasses. There is a lot of potential for growth in this area in middle-income countries. For me, this is the area where they probably will make the single biggest contribution.</p>



<p class="has-large-font-size" style="padding-left:0"><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">In your 2018 </mark></strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAAxKRFP2Mw"><strong><em><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#588fb5" class="has-inline-color"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">TED Talk</span></mark></em></strong></a><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">, you noted that, when it comes to the focus on </mark></strong><a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/avoidable-blindness/trachoma/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#72a0c2" class="has-inline-color">trachoma</mark></em></span></strong></a><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">, we don’t compete, we collaborate. Do you find that sometimes we do get a bit competitive in the eye health sector, and is there room for more collaboration?</mark></strong></p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">Trachoma is the biggest example of collaboration. Both Sightsavers and Operation Eyesight are members of the International Coalition for Trachoma Control, which received funding from The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust and the British government. This has been shared and is one of the best examples of collaboration in the international eye health sector.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">But we [INGOs] also compete, and because of the way that funding mechanisms are set up, I think it&#8217;s inevitable. There are not enough resources for all the people who want them. So by definition, we are competing, not just within the eye health sector but across the development sector.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">Sometimes we pitch projects together. For example, we have collaborated with the Fred Hollows Foundation, CBM and Orbis, and pitched jointly for funding. Sometimes we’re successful, and sometimes we’re not.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">Different organizations from different parts of the world work in different regions globally. Even though Sightsavers has often been the grant maker and the leader, we make sure to bring in all the other organizations, because they may be better placed than us in some countries. For example, we’re working with Operation Eyesight in Narok, Kenya, along with other NGOs.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">What does partnership with organizations like Operation Eyesight mean to Sightavers?</mark></strong></p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">At Sightsavers, partnership is absolutely at the heart of everything.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">The most important partnerships are with governments in the countries because governments are the duty bearers. Whether it’s health, education or another government ministry, they’re the ones that have to lead. And for us, that’s the most important partnership. We never work in a country unless we are partnered with the government, because they have to want us there.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">You also have to include players that bring different skills to the table, so we have partnerships with other NGOs that might have a different geographic footprint, skill or specialty. And then there are other partners like researchers. For example, we’re close with the London School of Hygiene &amp; Tropical Medicine, and also with universities in countries where we work, particularly in Nigeria, where we have strong partnerships.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">Sightsavers has specific skills, but we can’t possibly do everything. Partners bring different things to a coalition or bilateral arrangements.&nbsp;</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">Then of course there are donors, particularly donors who have been working with us for many years, whose relationship with us is genuinely about partnership rather than simply contributing funds.</p>



<p class="has-large-font-size"><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">At Operation Eyesight, we have put ourselves on the path to growth through </mark></strong><a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/global-strategy/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#588fb5" class="has-inline-color"><em>our Global Strategic Plan</em></mark></span></strong></a><strong><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#0063a7" class="has-inline-color">. As a growing organization, what is it that we should never lose sight of?</mark></strong></p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">At Sightsavers, we grew quite quickly; we took on a lot of additional funds about 10 years ago. One of the most important things we learned is that, if you’re on a growth trajectory, as you grow your money, you must ensure you grow your implementation capacity at least as fast.</p>



<p style="padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70)">Your board of directors plays a critical role in supporting your ambitions. The board needs to remain at a high level and think about the overall strategy and how it’s going to hold management to account. They should ask, what are the key measures we’re going to use to see whether management is delivering? It’s also about having the right board members and encouraging them to work as a team.</p>



<p>___</p>



<p><em>Thank you, Dr. Harper, for taking the time to chat, so we can all learn from your wealth of experience. We look forward to continuing to work with Sightsavers and other partners to eliminate </em><a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/avoidable-blindness/"><em>avoidable vision loss</em></a><em>. Together, we are empowering communities, strengthening health systems and addressing the root causes of avoidable vision loss, such as poverty, poor sanitation and gender inequality – For All The World To See.</em></p>



<p><strong><em>Interested in partnering with Operation Eyesight? Learn more at <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/partnerships/">operationeyesight.com/partnerships</a></em></strong></p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/an-interview-with-sightsavers-ceo-dr-caroline-harper/">Bold vision, courageous leadership: an interview with Sightsavers CEO Dr. Caroline Harper</a> appeared first on <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site">Operation Eyesight</a>.</p>
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		<title>The role of eye care in preventing poverty</title>
		<link>https://oearchive.swoondev.site/the-role-of-eye-care-in-preventing-poverty/</link>
					<comments>https://oearchive.swoondev.site/the-role-of-eye-care-in-preventing-poverty/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Caroline Wagner]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Jun 2024 21:41:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Communities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Health Worker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Partnerships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[School Eye Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sustainable Development Goals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trachoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vision Centres]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[community health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poverty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SDG 1]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Zambia]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>For most of his adult life, Abraham made a living as a cobbler, supporting his wife and raising six children on his earnings. But several years ago, he started having trouble threading needles. Initially, he pricked himself repeatedly, and eventually, he couldn’t get the needles threaded at all. Due to his poor eyesight, Abraham had&#8230; <a class="more-link" href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/the-role-of-eye-care-in-preventing-poverty/">Continue reading <span class="screen-reader-text">The role of eye care in preventing poverty</span></a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/the-role-of-eye-care-in-preventing-poverty/">The role of eye care in preventing poverty</a> appeared first on <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site">Operation Eyesight</a>.</p>
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<p>For most of his adult life, Abraham made a living as a cobbler, supporting his wife and raising six children on his earnings. But several years ago, he started having trouble threading needles. Initially, he pricked himself repeatedly, and eventually, he couldn’t get the needles threaded at all. Due to his poor eyesight, Abraham had to shut down his shoe repair business.</p>



<p>His story is a common one. Global estimates suggest that people with moderate to severe vision impairment are about 30 per cent less likely to be employed than those with good eyesight.<sup data-fn="6f589ac3-c2cb-4010-8384-2b12398a6b6e" class="fn"><a id="6f589ac3-c2cb-4010-8384-2b12398a6b6e-link" href="#6f589ac3-c2cb-4010-8384-2b12398a6b6e">1</a></sup> For lack of a pair of eyeglasses, for want of a simple cataract surgery, millions of people are unable to work. It can keep entire families stuck in the cycle of poverty.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Abraham4-copy-1024x576.webp" alt="A man sits outside on a chair, repairing a men's leather shoe. " class="wp-image-160478" srcset="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Abraham4-copy-1024x576.webp 1024w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Abraham4-copy-450x253.webp 450w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Abraham4-copy-768x432.webp 768w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Abraham4-copy.webp 1136w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Abraham works on a pair of shoes after recovering from cataract surgery. The 65-year-old cobbler was unable to work due to his impaired vision.</em></figcaption></figure>
</div>


<p>Abraham’s story has a happy ending. After meeting a community health volunteer during a door-to-door eye health screening, he was diagnosed with bilateral cataracts and got sight-restoring surgery on both of his eyes at one of our partner hospitals. He started taking in shoes for repair once again.</p>



<p>But many people won’t get back to work like Abraham did. And that’s because basic eye care isn’t available or accessible to them. According to estimates, about 2.2 billion people worldwide have vision impairment, and in roughly half of those cases, the vision loss could have been prevented or hasn&#8217;t yet been treated.<sup data-fn="9588c252-195b-4b55-b3d0-2aa8b3fc479a" class="fn"><a id="9588c252-195b-4b55-b3d0-2aa8b3fc479a-link" href="#9588c252-195b-4b55-b3d0-2aa8b3fc479a">2</a></sup></p>



<h4 class="kt-adv-heading160473_05393d-fe wp-block-kadence-advancedheading" data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading160473_05393d-fe"><strong>Lack of access to eye health care</strong></h4>



<p>For many people across the globe, the neighbourhood optometry clinic simply doesn’t exist. While people in Western Europe enjoy a ratio of one optometrist to every 3,877 people, countries in central sub-Saharan Africa reported a ratio of one to every 1,198,141 people, according to a 2023 study.<sup data-fn="4b0e3552-388d-42a0-b356-8bbb3a9c4542" class="fn"><a id="4b0e3552-388d-42a0-b356-8bbb3a9c4542-link" href="#4b0e3552-388d-42a0-b356-8bbb3a9c4542">3</a></sup> Even when there is an eye care provider in a nearby city, the barriers to reaching them can be insurmountable for some people living in remote and rural areas. Many can’t afford the bus or train fare, let alone the fees for diagnosis and treatment. And for women and children, travelling alone can be dangerous, so they often need to wait for someone – usually the family breadwinner – to take time off work to escort them. For those with seriously impaired vision or other disabilities, travel might be nearly impossible.</p>



<p>Every day, the community health workers who do eye screenings on our behalf meet people who have previously tried to solve their vision issues without success. Many patients had visited the nearest healthcare provider, often a local dispensary, and were sent home with eyedrops or told their vision couldn’t be treated. Some had bounced around from clinic to clinic, others had resigned themselves to living out their days in blindness. That is why we are working hard to provide eye health care services at the community level.</p>



<p>By connecting people with our partner vision centres and hospitals, helping cover fees and offering safe transportation to the hospital, we can help restore vision to people who may never have gotten treatment otherwise. It’s just one of the ways we are working towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number one: No Poverty. By addressing some of the root causes of poverty, like poor eyesight, we can help people stay employed and stay in school.</p>



<h4 class="kt-adv-heading160473_9159b3-dd wp-block-kadence-advancedheading" data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading160473_9159b3-dd"><strong>How eyeglasses can improve income</strong></h4>



<p>The global productivity loss attributed to impaired vision is estimated at US $411 billion annually.<sup data-fn="a7b5b243-2ec2-4292-99ef-4b3b594d8f00" class="fn"><a id="a7b5b243-2ec2-4292-99ef-4b3b594d8f00-link" href="#a7b5b243-2ec2-4292-99ef-4b3b594d8f00">4</a></sup> And those effects can be seen on the individual level as well.</p>



<p>A recent study looking at workers with presbyopia between the ages of 35-65 in Bangladesh found that those who had reading glasses made 33 per cent more than those who did not.<sup data-fn="871fa7e0-0185-4701-aebf-bd36ca851412" class="fn"><a href="#871fa7e0-0185-4701-aebf-bd36ca851412" id="871fa7e0-0185-4701-aebf-bd36ca851412-link">5</a></sup> The study, published in PLOS ONE, tracked the incomes of more than 10,000 participants who work in near-vision intensive occupations – like tailors, mechanics and carpenters – over eight months. Half of the participants received reading glasses right away, while the control group only got a pair after the eight months of data collection. The eyeglasses themselves cost only about US$3-4 per pair but had the potential to transform the lives of the workers.</p>



<p>Another study of tea pickers with presbyopia in India found similar results in 2018.<sup data-fn="287b5171-1f48-48cc-afa3-4d278cc88b10" class="fn"><a href="#287b5171-1f48-48cc-afa3-4d278cc88b10" id="287b5171-1f48-48cc-afa3-4d278cc88b10-link">6</a></sup> In that case, the three-month study found that a pair of reading glasses increased productivity for the plantation workers – who are paid by the kilogram of leaves picked – by about 22 per cent, and 32 per cent for those over the age of 50.</p>



<p>As these studies show, addressing vision loss can increase productivity and provide greater economic opportunities for individuals.</p>



<h4 class="kt-adv-heading160473_ccbb2f-cd wp-block-kadence-advancedheading" data-kb-block="kb-adv-heading160473_ccbb2f-cd"><strong>The chicken or the egg</strong></h4>



<p>Like many other health issues, it can be difficult to untangle the relationship between low incomes and eye health problems. Poor vision can lead to poverty because people often lose or quit their jobs when they’re no longer capable of doing them effectively or safely.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022_INDIA_Assam_BlogStory_JunmonitheWeaver_Eyeglasses-web-1024x576.webp" alt="A woman wearing black eyeglasses sits next to a young girl, her arm around the girl. They are smiling." class="wp-image-160494" srcset="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022_INDIA_Assam_BlogStory_JunmonitheWeaver_Eyeglasses-web-1024x576.webp 1024w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022_INDIA_Assam_BlogStory_JunmonitheWeaver_Eyeglasses-web-450x253.webp 450w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022_INDIA_Assam_BlogStory_JunmonitheWeaver_Eyeglasses-web-768x432.webp 768w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022_INDIA_Assam_BlogStory_JunmonitheWeaver_Eyeglasses-web.webp 1366w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Junmoni poses with her daughter, whom she hopes to send to college someday with the earnings she makes weaving fabric on her handloom.</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Take Junmoni in India, for example. The mother of two dreamed of sending her daughter to college with her earnings making handwoven fabrics on her loom. But when her vision became blurry, she had to stop weaving. Money got so tight that she was on the brink of selling her handloom. Fortunately she met a community health worker who told her she just needed to visit the local vision centre to get a pair of eyeglasses. Junmoni now wears her prescription eyeglasses while working at her handloom, her dreams for her daughter back on track.</p>



<p>But just as vision loss can lead to poverty, the opposite may also be true.</p>



<p>An infectious eye disease, called trachoma, continues to cause vision loss and blindness in dozens of countries around the world. It is widespread in some rural areas, and also in regions where there are high rates of poverty. The bacteria spreads through personal contact, via hands, clothes and bedding, and by flies that have been in contact with discharge from an infected person. It is most common in areas where people don’t have access to clean water or have to travel long distances for water.</p>



<p>If left untreated, trachoma causes the eyelashes to turn inward and scratch the cornea, leading to severe pain, vision loss and even blindness.</p>



<p>The spread of trachoma can be managed when people have access to clean water, allowing for more frequent hand and face washing, and the cleaning of clothing and bedding. Antibiotics can also help prevent and treat trachoma in areas where it is endemic.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022_ZAMBIA_SinazongweBoreholes_screencaptures-13-1024x576.webp" alt="A girl washes her face at an outdoor tap." class="wp-image-160650" srcset="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022_ZAMBIA_SinazongweBoreholes_screencaptures-13-1024x576.webp 1024w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022_ZAMBIA_SinazongweBoreholes_screencaptures-13-450x253.webp 450w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022_ZAMBIA_SinazongweBoreholes_screencaptures-13-768x432.webp 768w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2022_ZAMBIA_SinazongweBoreholes_screencaptures-13.webp 1366w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>A young girl washes her face at a borehole in Sinazongwe, Zambia.</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>We work with partners and communities in Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia to prevent the spread of trachoma by helping establish water boreholes and latrines and administering antibiotics.</p>



<p>Ninety per cent of vision loss is preventable or treatable, but people living in underserved communities are more likely to go blind. In fact, 90 per cent of people with vision loss live in low- and middle-income countries, which is why we’re working in these areas.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Reaching the unreached</strong></h4>



<p>Lack of education is another factor that keeps vision loss in lockstep with poverty. Some people don’t seek eye health care simply because they believe their condition is untreatable. Many older patients believe that vision loss, even blindness, is just an inevitable part of aging. In some communities there may be additional fear or distrust of medical authorities based on previous experiences, myths or other cultural stigmas.</p>



<p>By reaching people in their homes and communities through door-to-door eye screenings and eye camps, we can offer basic eye health education and choice to those who might never get treatment otherwise. And in cases where a patient might be hesitant to get surgery, our community-based approach enables health workers to continue counselling patients over weeks and months, reassuring them, explaining the benefits of a procedure and often convincing them to get treatment in the end.</p>



<p>Another way we work to prevent the devastating effects of vision loss is by making sure the youngest people in our project areas learn about eye health. By offering eye screenings and education in schools, organizations like ours can reach thousands of families through their children, who go home brimming with excitement over the vision test they took at school, and what they learned about eye health. By providing children with referrals to the nearest vision centre or partner hospital, the whole family is made aware of the services that are available to them.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/21.08.12_KENYA_SchoolEyeHealth_UasinGishu_IMG_9200_web-1024x576.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-160655" srcset="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/21.08.12_KENYA_SchoolEyeHealth_UasinGishu_IMG_9200_web-1024x576.webp 1024w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/21.08.12_KENYA_SchoolEyeHealth_UasinGishu_IMG_9200_web-450x253.webp 450w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/21.08.12_KENYA_SchoolEyeHealth_UasinGishu_IMG_9200_web-768x432.webp 768w, https://oearchive.swoondev.site/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/21.08.12_KENYA_SchoolEyeHealth_UasinGishu_IMG_9200_web.webp 1366w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>A primary school student in Uasin Gishu county Kenya gets an eye examination during a school eye health screening.</em> <em>Photo courtesy of Operation Eyesight / Peek Vision.</em></figcaption></figure>
</div>


<h4 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Effects on the whole family</strong></h4>



<p>The effects of a cataract surgery often ripple down through the beneficiary’s entire family. We hear of many young women who have given up jobs or dropped out of school to care for a senior family member who has gone blind. Once the family member has had their vision restored through cataract surgery, they often regain their independence, freeing up their caregiver to devote that time to work, school or other economic opportunities.</p>



<p>And parents who have had their vision problems corrected, like Junmoni, are better placed to keep their children in school longer, and even send them off to advanced education, potentially lifting future generations out of poverty.</p>



<p>Finally, children with vision problems who get corrective eyeglasses or treatment fare better at school. In fact, prescription eyeglasses have been shown to have a greater impact on academic achievement than other health interventions, like nutrition and deworming programs.<sup data-fn="3fc9241b-1b4c-4d9c-a41d-606162093289" class="fn"><a href="#3fc9241b-1b4c-4d9c-a41d-606162093289" id="3fc9241b-1b4c-4d9c-a41d-606162093289-link">7</a></sup> This is why we are currently expanding our school eye health programs, so we can help more children thrive in school so they can get the best possible start on their working lives.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading has--font-size"><strong>The road ahead</strong></h4>



<p>While many organizations like ours are collaborating with partners, governments and funders to address vision loss and blindness, aging populations and population growth mean that the problem will increase if we don’t act quickly. Some estimates say that by 2050, half of the global population will have myopia.<sup data-fn="1679d9a3-8719-4580-8f21-6c153e773f5c" class="fn"><a id="1679d9a3-8719-4580-8f21-6c153e773f5c-link" href="#1679d9a3-8719-4580-8f21-6c153e773f5c">8</a></sup></p>



<p>You can help us continue our mission to prevent blindness and restore sight by following us on our social media accounts, signing up for our newsletter and sharing what you’ve learned with friends and family. <strong><a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Join our global community today</a>.</strong></p>


<ol class="wp-block-footnotes"><li id="6f589ac3-c2cb-4010-8384-2b12398a6b6e"><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00132-2/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(21)00132-2/fulltext</a> <a href="#6f589ac3-c2cb-4010-8384-2b12398a6b6e-link" aria-label="Jump to footnote reference 1">↩︎</a></li><li id="9588c252-195b-4b55-b3d0-2aa8b3fc479a"> <a href="https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/328717/9789241516570-eng.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/328717/9789241516570-eng.pdf</a> <a href="#9588c252-195b-4b55-b3d0-2aa8b3fc479a-link" aria-label="Jump to footnote reference 2">↩︎</a></li><li id="4b0e3552-388d-42a0-b356-8bbb3a9c4542"><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375055096_Global_mapping_of_optometry_workforce" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375055096_Global_mapping_of_optometry_workforce</a> <a href="#4b0e3552-388d-42a0-b356-8bbb3a9c4542-link" aria-label="Jump to footnote reference 3">↩︎</a></li><li id="a7b5b243-2ec2-4292-99ef-4b3b594d8f00"><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30488-5/fulltext">https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30488-5/fulltext</a> <a href="#a7b5b243-2ec2-4292-99ef-4b3b594d8f00-link" aria-label="Jump to footnote reference 4">↩︎</a></li><li id="871fa7e0-0185-4701-aebf-bd36ca851412"><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0296115" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0296115</a> <a href="#871fa7e0-0185-4701-aebf-bd36ca851412-link" aria-label="Jump to footnote reference 5">↩︎</a></li><li id="287b5171-1f48-48cc-afa3-4d278cc88b10"><a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(18)30329-2/fulltext">https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(18)30329-2/fulltext</a> <a href="#287b5171-1f48-48cc-afa3-4d278cc88b10-link" aria-label="Jump to footnote reference 6">↩︎</a></li><li id="3fc9241b-1b4c-4d9c-a41d-606162093289"><a href="https://educationcommission.org/updates/providing-eyeglasses-school-age-children-high-impact-investment-education/">https://educationcommission.org/updates/providing-eyeglasses-school-age-children-high-impact-investment-education/</a> <a href="#3fc9241b-1b4c-4d9c-a41d-606162093289-link" aria-label="Jump to footnote reference 7">↩︎</a></li><li id="1679d9a3-8719-4580-8f21-6c153e773f5c"><a href="https://www.essilorseechange.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Eliminating-Poor-Vision-in-a-Generation-Report.pdf">https://www.essilorseechange.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Eliminating-Poor-Vision-in-a-Generation-Report.pdf</a> <a href="#1679d9a3-8719-4580-8f21-6c153e773f5c-link" aria-label="Jump to footnote reference 8">↩︎</a></li></ol><p>The post <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site/the-role-of-eye-care-in-preventing-poverty/">The role of eye care in preventing poverty</a> appeared first on <a href="https://oearchive.swoondev.site">Operation Eyesight</a>.</p>
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