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Millions live too far from eye care services - and most cannot afford them.

About the project

Life changing eye treatment is on the way to the heart of poor communities in Ghana, with three new Vision Centres developed by a Seeing is Believing project.

Through our partners Operation Eyesight Universal (OEU), our vision centres take vital eye care treatment out to the poorest people, living in remote areas far from healthcare facilities and hospitals.

Among the world’s 45 million blind people - cataract is the leading cause. But more than two-thirds of cases could have been prevented, or are treatable. For just $30 each, a simple 15-minute cataract operation can restore sight for around 17 million of the world’s blind people, most of whom live in the poorest countries.

Restoring sight goes far beyond improving a person’s quality of life. It means they can play a full and active role in their family, their community and the wider economy.

We are developing three vision centres in the Western Province of Ghana to support the Western Province Base Hospital. They offer screening for eye disease, simple eye treatments and spectacles, plus referrals for more complex treatment. Working as ‘satellites’ with base hospitals, vision centres mean we can reach and help more people in need in the heart of their communities.

By the end of the project, we will have provided:

• Stronger and better eye care services, more accessible to the poorest people
• New and improved facilities and equipment
• Training for eye care professionals and workers
• Better referral services to the base hospitals served by the vision centres
• A model for sustainable primary and secondary eye care that can be replicated elsewhere.

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