Sightsavers receives funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies to tackle visual impairment

Sightsavers has joined Bloomberg Philanthropies’ US$75 million initiative to boost eye health services and help address the global vision crisis.

Through the Vision Initiative, Sightsavers will improve access to eye care in Kenya and Nigeria by carrying out millions of eye tests and ensuring people who need them can access spectacles.

The programme aims to build sustainable health care systems and support long-term government investment in the two countries. It will also contribute to the World Health Organization’s global target to achieve a 40 percentage point increase in effective coverage of refractive error services by 2030.

Sightsavers will be working with Peek Vision, local partners and ministries of health and education to deliver the programme, which will use data management and real-time monitoring to analyse and record how many people are screened and receive a pair of glasses.

In its 2024-25 annual report, Bloomberg Philanthropies states: “In most cases, poor vision can be easily fixed, and so Bloomberg Philanthropies will work with our partners to distribute millions of pairs of prescription eyeglasses, while also helping more people get needed cataract operations, by training surgeons to perform them, ensuring availability of medical supplies, and raising awareness of surgery as an option for fixing eyesight.”

Sightsavers CEO Caroline Harper said: “I’m thrilled that Bloomberg Philanthropies is making this investment in vision and eye care – not just to Sightsavers, but to eight other organisations across the eye health sector.

“We know only too well how neglected eye care services are. And yet screening a child’s eyesight and providing a pair of glasses is a highly effective way to help them learn. Removing someone’s cataracts enables them to see the world clearly again, which can be utterly transformative.

“Investment from organisations like Bloomberg Philanthropies makes it possible to tackle this health inequity. We are excited to build this partnership and address the vision crisis together.”

Uncorrected refractive error is the leading cause of visual impairment worldwide, with the problem predicted to worsen without urgent action. It is estimated that 1.1 billion people have a vision impairment that could be avoided: the main cause is unequal access to eye care services.

Sightsavers protects sight and restores vision for millions of people through eye operations, vision screenings, spectacles and medication. The organisation also helps to tackle health inequity and eliminate debilitating diseases, making health systems stronger and creating long-term, sustainable change.