Cure Blindness Project Expands Sight-Saving Care to Six New Countries

Cure Blindness Project is expanding to six new countries—Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Pakistan, Paraguay, and Zambia, the charity reported Oct. 10.

Paraguay marks the charity’s first foray into South America.

Since 1995, Cure Blindness Project has delivered sight-saving care in 25 countries, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Its model is to partner with underserved communities to build sustainable, cost-effective eye care systems.

Milestones thus far include:

—Performing more than 1.6 million sight-restoring surgeries.

—Conducting 16.5 million eye screenings.

—Establishing five eye hospitals.

—Training over 20,100 eye care professionals, including 644 ophthalmologists.

—Acquiring SightLife International, further bolstering the organization’s expertise in corneal blindness treatment and prevention.

K-T Overbey, CEO of Cure Blindness Project, said in a statement: “The time has come to amplify our impact. From tackling cataract blindness in the Himalayas to now tackling all forms of treatable blindness … our commitment to eradicating this issue is unwavering.”

Cure Blindness Project, originally named the Himalayan Cataract Project, was founded by ophthalmologists Geoff Tabin, MD, of the US, and Sanduk Ruit, MD, of Nepal.