Why is our work so important?

There are 36 million people worldwide right now who are blind, and 217 million with moderate to severe visual impairment. Without our intervention, and the support of our global eye health partners, funders and supporters, these numbers will triple over the next 30 years. 

With the clear goal of ending avoidable blindness front and center, we have four strategic goals we are focused on:

1.  Prioritising cataract which remains the biggest cause of blindness around the world

2.  Closing the gap in avoidable blindness and vision impairment between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and other Australians

3.  Addressing gender inequity in eye health to remove the barriers for women to access treatment

4.  Eliminating trachoma, the leading infectious cause of blindness
    

 

These are all big challenges, but they are inspiring challenges. They are exactly the type of ambitions that Professor Fred Hollows would have wanted The Foundation to deliver against.

How do we work?

Our priority is to work with communities to improve their own eye health. We do this through:

1. Funding and facilitating life-changing surgeries and treatments

2. Training doctors, nurses, and clinical and community eye health workers

3. Strengthening health systems through advocacy and influence

4. Engaging with local communities and empowering them to take their eye health in their own hands

5. Investing in new technologies and piloting new approaches to deliver eye care more effectively

 

“Teach the teachers first, then the teachers can teach others.” 

- Professor Fred Hollows