No matter the size of the stone, the impact spreads in widening circles.  

The same is true in international development and eye health care. 

How the ripple effect shaped our work in 2025 

Every gift of sight creates ripples that transform lives. For girls and boys, women and men, restored sight opens doors to education, employment and independence. Those benefits don’t stop there – they carry on, extending through families, communities and even the global economy: Vision loss costs an estimated US $411 billion in lost productivity each year, according to a 2021 article in The Lancelet Global Health Journal. 

In 2025, your support meant everything. It was a year when the “pool of water” was anything but still. Yet our global community came together. Your collective generosity created nothing short of seismic waves of impact across 10 countries. 

Every year, your support empowers our teams and partners to screen millions of people, provide hundreds of thousands of those with vision loss with prescription eyeglasses and perform hundreds of thousands of cataract surgeries (2025 data and details will be shared in our 2025 annual report). 

Thank you for standing in solidarity with us, with communities, and with our teams and partners around the world – For All the World to See! 

2025 Highlights 

Here are some of our 2025 milestones and accomplishments that were achieved thanks to your support.  

Global  

Impact recognition 

For the eighth consecutive year, Operation Eyesight was named a Top 10 Impact Charity by Charity Intelligence Canada. 

Growing global reach

We doubled traffic to our global website, raising awareness about the importance of eye health and how it impacts lives, communities and countries.

Cataract surgery success

With your support, we raised $410,000 CAD for our nine-country cataract surgery initiative, surpassing our $405,000 goal. This will fund an additional 5,400 cataract surgeries, some of which are already underway. For each country, this means the following additional cataract surgeries:

• 400 in each of Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi and Nepal
• 1,000 in Ghana
• 900 in India
• 800 in Kenya
• 700 in Zambia

Why it matters: Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. One surgery, including supports such as travel, costs approximately $75 CAD. Cataract surgery is one of the most cost-effective health interventions, according to the IAPB Vision Atlas.

Saidur’s story shows how cataract surgery changes lives. At 70, Saidur, from Bangladesh, was nearly blind and unable to work. After cataract surgery, he said, “I am very happy to be able to see my grandchildren. I can finally earn a living again.”  Watch his ripple effect story.

Africa

Ethiopia

A World Sight Day school eye health initiative led to the screening of 1,200 students in Bahir Dar City. Students in need also received free prescription eyeglasses.

Amanuel, Bereket and Amen pose after getting their eyes screened at school leading up to World Sight Day.

Ghana

We expanded our School Eye Health Program to Shai Osu Doku district. Program Coordinator Isaac Baffoe has been working closely with schools to reach even more children. See how the program works and how it helps students access quality education.

Kenya

With new funding from Johnson & Johnson, we launched our Hospital-Based Community Eye Health Model in four underserved counties. Tens of thousands of people have already participated in door-to-door screenings, and more than 2,000 cataract surgeries will be performed. See how this project brings eye health care closer to home in rural areas.

Malawi

We opened our first vision centre in Malawi, greatly reducing travel for patients and improving access to care.

Our Malawi team and partners attend the opening of the new vision centre, which will serve more than 256,000 people.

Zambia

We rehabilitated 72 boreholes, exceeding our target of 69 and improving access to clean water for more than 50,000 people.

Community members gather water at a borehole in Zambia.

North America

Canada

• In April, we partnered with the Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation to deliver a weeklong vision care clinic. More than 400 students received eye exams, and many received prescription eyeglasses.

Caption: A child has his eyes screened during a weeklong vision care clinic conducted in partnership with Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation.

In June, we participated in the Rotary International Convention in Calgary. Since the early 1980s, 474 Rotary clubs have contributed $3.88 million, not including direct grants to our partners. Since 2020, 23 clubs have made more than 3,100 gifts, totaling $748,565.

Members of our team connected with hundreds of Rotary club members and attendees at the Rotary International Convention in Calgary in June. 

On World Sight Day, October 9, Kris Kelm, our Global Director, International Programs and Chair of the Canadian Eye Health Coalition, hosted a global webinar, and landmarks across Canada lit up in our brand colours to raise awareness.

The Calgary Tower (see below) lit up in orange and blue, our brand colours, for World Sight Day to raise awareness of the importance of eye health care. The CN Tower, Guelph Market Square and Winnipeg Esplanade Riel Bridge also displayed our colours.

This fall, we celebrated Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, at events in Calgary and Toronto, and another in London, United Kingdom, strengthening connections with Indian diaspora communities and expanding support for our work in South Asia and around the world.

Members of our Canada team attend a Diwali event in Calgary.

In the week leading up to Giving Tuesday, December 2, through the collective support of donors, we surpassed our original target of $35,000 and raised $63,166.61 thanks to the dollar-for-dollar matching funds ($45,000) from our anonymous donors!  This resulted in a total of $108,266.61raisied to support additional cataract surgeries.

South Asia

Bangladesh

Leading up to World Sight Day, our partners screened 1,719 people, including 1,627 schoolchildren at 11 schools. A total of 183 people received free prescription eyeglasses.

A student has her eyes examined during a school eye heath screening in Bangladesh.

India

We renewed our partnership with the National Health Mission, Government of Madhya Pradesh, to strengthen eye health services across 10 districts. This marked a significant step in strengthening people-centred eye health systems across the state.

Anchored in the World Health Organization’s Integrated People-Centred Eye Care (IPEC) framework, the initiative delivers sustainable, community-focused eye care fully integrated into the public health system. Currently, we’re implementing IPEC interventions across 17 districts in Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Meghalaya, in partnership with the state Ministries of Health. This work restores more than sight – it restores dignity, independence and livelihoods for entire communities.

Nepal

Our President and CEO Kashinath Bhoosnurmath attended the IAPB LIVE In Sight conference in Kathmandu, bringing together global leaders and policy-makers to advance universal eye health.

Thank you for your support. Full 2025 details and data will be shared in our 2025 Annual Report.

Make a ripple effect of your own.

Donate today to make a ripple in 2026.

The post 2025 Highlights: The Ripple Effect  appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Benjamin lives with his parents and six siblings in the village of Olookitareti in Kajiado County. The family struggles financially; Benjamin’s father Joshua has a chronic illness, while his mother, who lives with a disability, does her best to manage their livestock herds while also caring for the children.

In 2023, a local disability advocacy group referred Benjamin to a special needs boarding school, where he learned to read braille. His parents were grateful that he would receive an education, but they still worried about his future.

The following year, a community health worker identified cataracts in Joshua’s eyes during a door-to-door screening and referred him to our surgical camp. He took Benjamin along, hoping for a diagnosis for the child as well.

At the camp, Benjamin was also diagnosed with cataracts and referred to our pediatric cataract camp happening at another facility. But on the day of the camp, he didn’t show up. The outreach team made calls to the family to track him down, but their calls went unanswered. Finally, our community health promoter located Benjamin at his school. She later discovered that the family had lost their phone.

Recognizing the urgency of Benjamin’s condition, our outreach team contacted the family’s close friend, Pastor Titus, who accompanied Benjamin to the surgical camp with the family’s blessing.

Thanks to the support of our partners and donors like you, Benjamin successfully underwent surgery and had his vision restored. Joshua also underwent surgery and can now see clearly.

Now, Benjamin attends a regular primary school, confidently tackling Grade I. He reads and writes with ease and loves to join soccer games with the other children in the village.

His parents are grateful that Benjamin can now live up to his full potential.

Written with files from Patrick Wainaina Muthii.

This holiday season, consider giving the Gift of Sight to transform lives for more children like Benjamin!

The post Gift of Sight: Cataract surgery spares Benjamin from a life of avoidable blindness appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

Napolo wasn’t aware that she was suffering from trachoma, a bacterial infection of the eye and the leading cause of blindness in areas with shortages of water and crowded living conditions. The bacteria spreads easily through contact with eye discharge from infected people on hands and clothing, and also through direct transmission by flies. 

If left untreated, trachoma causes the eyelids to turn inward, making the eyelashes rub painfully against the surface of the eye. This causes permanent scarring of the cornea and irreversible vision loss.  

Without access to regular health care, Napolo turned to traditional remedies. Her family members would pluck out her eyelashes to help ease the pain, but the relief never lasted. The irritation always returned, and over time, Napolo’s vision became worse.  

In her Maa community, many people had similar symptoms, and plucking one’s eyelashes out was considered normal. Health workers occasionally visited their community, but Napolo often missed them because she was always out looking after her animals, sometimes even crossing over the border to let the animals graze in Tanzania. She somehow managed despite her diminishing vision and increasing pain.  

One fateful day, an Operation Eyesight-trained Community Health Promoter visited Napolo’s home – and the visit changed everything. 

You see, for many years Operation Eyesight has been working to eliminate trachoma in communities like Napolo’s. Through the Kenya Trachoma Elimination Program, funded by Sightsavers International, Operation Eyesight and partners are working to eliminate trachoma in Narok West Sub-county and the entire country by 2028. With this support, and in collaboration with the Narok County Department of Health, we launched a door-to-door screening initiative to identify remaining cases of trachoma trichiasis – the painful late stage of the disease. We provided training and resources for local Community Health Promoters. They screen people in their communities and refer those in need of eye care to our nearest partner facility. 

During a community screening in November 2024, Napolo was identified and referred to Talek Health Centre, an outreach site that provides surgical treatment for trachoma patients. At the health centre, the ophthalmic team examined Napolo’s eyes and confirmed her diagnosis. 

Napolo agreed to undergo eyelid surgery to correct her inward-turned eyelids. The procedure was successful, and her recovery brought immense relief, preventing further damage to her eyes and preserving her remaining vision. 

“I have longed for this comfort for decades. There is no more discomfort, and I can open my eyes freely,” Napolo said. “I thank Operation Eyesight and the doctors who assisted me, and I will definitely refer anyone in my community that has the same problem so that they can be assisted.”  

Napolo’s story shows how access to quality eye care can transform lives. 

Did you know? Trachoma is the leading cause of infectious blindness.   

Currently, 103 million people live in trachoma endemic areas and are at risk of trachoma blindness, and presently 1.9 million people are experiencing vision impairment or blindness due to the disease.¹ It is found in 32 countries, in areas with shortages of clean water and crowded living conditions. Caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis, trachoma is spread by eye-seeking flies and personal contact. Children and women are at particular risk. 

Operation Eyesight follows the World Health Organization-endorsed SAFE strategy, which has proven effective in eliminating trachoma. The SAFE strategy is a comprehensive treatment and prevention program that includes Surgery to treat the late stage of the disease, Antibiotics to eliminate infection, Face washing and hygiene education, and Environmental change including wells and latrines.  

Join us in supporting programs that bring vital vision care to people like Napolo and also address the root causes of vision loss. Together, we can eliminate trachoma and ensure everyone has access to the eye care they deserve. Give the Gift of Sight today. Join us in supporting programs that bring vital vision care to people like Napolo and also address the root causes of vision loss. Together, we can eliminate trachoma and ensure everyone has access to the eye care they deserve. Give the Gift of Sight today.   

1. http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/trachoma 
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The post Decades of eye disease pain relieved for grandmother in Kenya     appeared first on Operation Eyesight.

A week later, she went to the nearest hospital, where she received medication to manage the worsening pain and a referral to an eye hospital. But by then, her resources were spent. Out of money, she went home. The vision in her left eye never recovered.

She managed with her one good eye until three years ago, when she noticed the vision in her right eye was blurring. Soon, everyday tasks like picking coffee beans, cooking and walking to church became impossible.

“I felt like a burden to my daughter,” she says. “She had to leave her home to stay with me and help. At some point, I just wanted to die… I didn’t want to hold her back from her life.”

But one day, hope arrived in the form of a young man named Simon who knocked on Esther’s door. As a community health promoter we’d trained in primary eye care, Simon encouraged Esther to visit an upcoming eye screening camp we were organizing along with Meteitei Sub-County Hospital.

At the camp, doctors said that unfortunately her left eye was permanently damaged, but they could restore vision in her right eye. At 85 years old, Esther was scared of getting cataract surgery due to her age, but she was determined to reclaim her life. Thanks to our partner Johnson & Johnson, her operation was free.

The day after her surgery Esther experienced a moment she’ll never forget.

“They removed the bandage… and I could see!” she recalls. “I couldn’t believe it. I saw my daughter’s face again. I saw the sun. I saw my home.”

Now she’s back to her daily life – picking coffee, going to market and attending church. Her message is clear: “Please go. Don’t be afraid. The surgery is not painful. You will see again, just like me. I thank the doctors. I thank the donors and Operation Eyesight, and I thank God.”

Your support helps us provide more sight-restoring surgeries for people like Esther!

With files from: Lister Barasa Maskika, MIS/MEL Officer, Kenya

The post Seeing the sun again: Vision restored at age 85 appeared first on Operation Eyesight.