Registered with the Charity Commission back in the nineties by Guildford Rotary Club, we work with Rotary groups in the developing world to establish 24/7 Rotary eye hospitals.

These hospitals can – and do – provide free eye care to the world’s poorest. It’s estimated that as many as 1.2 billion people may be in this predicament. Imagine having sight problems, knowing there’s a cure, but being too poor to access it.
 

Within the Rotary family, the Rotary Foundation provides generous grants to approved charities – and we are proud to be one of them. The basic cost of the new surgical and assessment equipment needed to open a hospital for the first time is around £70,000. That figure can be achieved through a Rotary grant with donations totalling just £12,000. Similarly, a donation of only £5 can fund a cataract operation.

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To date, we’ve opened close to 70 eye hospitals, each offering a full range of eye care procedures – with cataract operations the most in demand. We’re now close to achieving 250,000 cataract operations every year. So far, our hospitals have been established in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Lebanon, Uganda and Nigeria.

 

We only work with local professional ophthalmologists and follow a business plan that enables each hospital to cover its costs just a few years after opening.
 

Looking ahead, we’re seeking funding for new hospitals in the countries above, plus Ghana and Nepal. We also need to provide advanced cataract and glaucoma surgical equipment for existing hospitals, and outreach vehicles so that assessments can be carried out directly in communities.

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Training is another major part of what we do. We run eye surgeon training programmes, especially in Africa where the shortage of trained specialists is most severe. In addition to the usual top-class skills in eye procedures, we are particularly focused on paediatric eye surgery – an area where the need is great.

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To find out more, please visit how to get involved, as well as how to make a donation, leave a legacy, or request leaflets and further information.

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You can also get in touch with one of our trustees directly by emailing john.miles13@btinternet.com or calling 01483 481856.

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We are passionate about helping the avoidably blind poor – and on their behalf, we hope you’ll consider offering your support to aid our work.