How does Operation Eyesight prevent blindness and restore sight?
Our Hospital-Based Community Eye Health Program model creates access to quality eye health services to reach people in remote and underserved communities. Our programs are designed to provide quality eye health care to all, regardless of age, gender, race or ability to pay. We train local community health workers to conduct door-to-door surveys, screen patients for eye conditions and refer them for treatment. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we can provide patients with surgeries, prescription eyeglasses and other treatments free of charge or for a nominal fee.
We work with our network of more than 60 partner hospitals to strengthen their capacity to meet the needs of the surrounding communities. Capacity-strengthening may include providing the hospital with new or upgraded equipment, providing training for ophthalmic personnel, or establishing a vision centre or eye unit at the community level. Learn more about our programs in different countries.
Where does Operation Eyesight work?
Operation Eyesight is currently working to prevent blindness and restore sight in 10 countries in South Asia and Africa:
- Bangladesh
- India
- Nepal
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Malawi
- Sri Lanka
- Zambia
By 2028, we plan to expand to five more countries: Bhutan, Myanmar, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and possibly Canada. Please visit our Where We Work page to learn about specific projects in our various countries of work.
I’m having problems with donating. Can you help?
We’re happy to help! You can get in touch by email or by filling out a form on our Contact Us page. Or give us a call toll-free at 1-800-585-8265. Our office hours are 8am – 4pm Mountain Time, Monday through Friday.
Can I give a donation in someone else’s name?
Absolutely! When filling out the donation form online, you can check the box that reads, “dedicate this donation” and enter the individual’s name. After you have made your donation payment, you will be prompted to send an eCard to let the person know that you made a donation in their name. You can even add a customized message. Our eCards make a great gift for birthdays, Christmas and other holidays. Send an eCard today!
If you’d rather send a printed card by mail, we have those too! We offer several beautiful greeting cards for a variety of occasions. Please get in touch to learn more.
How do I know my personal information is safe?
All our donor information is kept in our secure database. We do not sell, trade or share our mailing lists. In addition, we do not retain credit card numbers or sensitive information.
I have a vision problem. Can you help me?
Operation Eyesight delivers eye health programs in collaboration with hospitals, government partners and other organizations in our countries of work. While we work closely with physicians and medical experts around the world, we don’t have medical professionals on staff, nor can we provide any medical advice.
For those seeking eye care, we urge you to consult with a local eye doctor. If you live in one of our program areas, please use the Contact Us form so that so that we can tell you where the nearest vision centre or partner hospital is located.
How can I help Operation Eyesight eliminate avoidable vision loss?
We appreciate your support! The most important thing you can do to help is to donate. Your generosity allows us to establish sustainable eye health care in the countries where we work. Please consider becoming a monthly donor, so you can help transform lives month after month. To learn about the many ways you can support Operation Eyesight financially, visit our How You Can Help page.
You can also help us by spreading the word about Operation Eyesight! Tell your friends and family about avoidable vision loss and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn, where you can share our posts to help raise awareness of our work.
Does Operation Eyesight collect used eyeglasses?
No, we stopped accepting used eyeglasses in 2003. Matching recycled eyeglasses with a patient’s prescription is a time-consuming and expensive process. In fact, one study found that shipping recycled eyeglasses to other countries cost nearly twice as much as supplying ready-made eyeglasses.
We do continue to provide patients with prescription eyeglasses free of charge or for a small fee. Many of those eyeglasses are supplied by partners like the OneSight Essilor-Luxottica Foundation, and by the generosity of our donors. If you would like to provide eyeglasses to someone in need, we encourage you to donate to our programs. Although the cost does vary from country to country, you can provide a pair of eyeglasses for approximately $20.
How much of my donation goes to overhead/administration?
We believe in measuring our success through the impact and effectiveness of our programs in the communities we serve. We invest in skilled team members, information technology and fundraising programs that help ensure we are planning for our future and sustainability. These investments are necessary to achieve greater efficiencies in our operations and programs. While overhead costs will vary by not-for-profit organization, it is our practice to ensure our operating and administrative costs are below 30 per cent. Every dollar donated to Operation Eyesight is invested wisely to ensure we operate and deliver our programs effectively. For six consecutive years, Charity Intelligence Canada has named us one of the Top 10 Impact Charities for our demonstrated impact per dollar donated.
For detailed information, you can find our financial statements and annual report here.
Do you have any plans to expand to more countries?
We are always evaluating opportunities to eliminate avoidable vision loss around the world. We follow a rigorous process for selecting regions in which to work, which includes a need to fit into existing health care systems. When we identify an opportunity, we partner with the local ministry of health, analyze the local needs, situation and gaps in health, and secure a major source of funding and other support. At this time, we are exploring opportunities in Bhutan, Myanmar, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, and we are also exploring the development of programs for medically underserved communities in Canada.
What does it cost to provide someone with a pair of eyeglasses or cataract surgery? How about a larger project like a borehole or a vision centre?
We can provide a patient with a pair of prescription eyeglasses for about $20, and a cataract surgery and its associated costs for about $50.
Costs for projects like boreholes and vision centres vary widely from country to country, so it’s difficult to give even a rough estimate. If you’re interested in sponsoring a specific project, we would be happy to have a conversation with you for purely informational purposes. You can reach our Donor Relations team at: philanthropy@operationeyesight.com
I donated to Operation Eyesight. When will I receive my tax receipt?
If you’ve donated online, your tax receipt should arrive in your email inbox within 24 hours. If it doesn’t, please fill in our Tax Receipt Request Form or contact us. If you donated by mail or over the phone, please allow several weeks for your tax receipt to arrive. If you are a monthly donor, your consolidated tax receipt will arrive at the end of the tax year. Thank you for your generous donation!
How is Operation Eyesight working towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals?
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action to create a more equitable world ensuring no one is left behind. In 2015, all member states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While all the goals are interconnected, we focus on six goals that are core to our mission to prevent blindness and restore sight: no poverty (SDG1), good health and well-being (SDG3), quality education (SDG4), gender equality (SDG5), clean water and sanitation (SDG6), and partnerships for the goals (SDG17).
To learn more about how we are working towards these goals, visit our Sustainable Development Goals page.
