(PRESS RELEASE) NORWICH, VT & SYDNEY, AU — Cure Blindness Project and The Fred Hollows Foundation announced a landmark strategic partnership that aims to help end avoidable blindness in Rwanda and Laos by 2035 and significantly address the cataract backlog in at least three other countries.
The partnership, which brings together two of the world’s most respected and influential organizations in the global eye health sector, is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform millions of lives through restoring sight.
By combining complementary strengths and shared ambition, the partnership aims to work with local governments and partners to deliver transformative, scalable impact in the fight to eliminate avoidable blindness and build sustainable eye health systems.
Despite decades of progress, vision impairment and avoidable blindness continue to rise globally. More than 43 million people are blind and often unable to do the tasks of daily living. Another 1 billion people are not thriving because they cannot see clearly. A staggering 90% of people with sight loss live in low and middle-income countries where access to eye health is often out of reach.
Cataract remains the leading cause of blindness in Rwanda and Laos, yet it is entirely preventable. Under the partnership, The Fred Hollows Foundation and Cure Blindness Project will support more than 177,000 surgeries over the next five years.
In Rwanda, an estimated 100,000 people require cataract surgery, and without urgent action, vision loss is projected to affect 1.7 million Rwandans by 2050.
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In Laos, an estimated 66,000 people need cataract surgery to restore their sight. Without urgent action, the number of people living with vision loss could climb to 1.2 million in Laos by 2050.
This partnership is a direct response to this challenge: two leading organisations with a combined 60+ years of experience joining forces around bold, shared goals to accelerate progress toward universal eye health access and unlock the potential of millions of people.
According to the Value of Vision report, targeted investment in simple eye health priorities – from improving cataract surgery to providing on-the-spot reading glasses – would yield a $1:$28 return on investment in low- and middle-income countries – one of the best in global health.
Working with the governments of Rwanda and Laos, The Fred Hollows Foundation has developed new 10-year investment plans which outline a clear pathway to eliminate the cataract backlog and build a resilient, people-centred eye health system that can sustainably meet future needs.
To achieve this, a US$41.1 million in investment is needed in Rwanda by 2035.
This funding would support more than 125,000 cataract surgeries to close the current and expected cataract backlog, establish and strengthen 14 specialized eye units, train 25 new ophthalmologists and 58,000 community health workers, and embed eye care into Rwanda’s national health system. Existing ophthalmologists will also be trained as sub-specialists where gaps exist.
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In Laos a total investment of US$12.73 million is needed over the next five years. This funding will support 66,000 cataract surgeries, train 126 new eye health personnel — including 20 cataract surgeons — and equip 37 hospitals, including 10 district hospitals, across all 17 provinces.
With strong backing from the Ministries of Health and partners including the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology from Nepal and local leaders in each country, this initiative will build a resilient, government-led eye health system that protects sight for generations to come.
“This is a pivotal moment for global eye health,” said K-T Overbey, CEO of Cure Blindness Project. “The magnitude of avoidable blindness and systemic barriers to eye health demand collaboration across organizations, sectors, and geographies. Together with our colleagues at The Fred Hollows Foundation, we will reduce surgical backlogs, train more local eye care professionals, and strengthen health systems so that quality eye care becomes a reality for everyone, everywhere.”
Ross Piper, CEO of The Fred Hollows Foundation, added: “Fred Hollows always believed that sight was a basic human right. This partnership embodies that belief.
“By combining our expertise in addressing cataract backlogs, health systems strengthening, workforce development, and policy influence with Cure Blindness Project’s expertise in delivering high-volume surgical care and ophthalmic training programs in underserved areas, we can drive bolder, faster progress toward universal eye health coverage, starting in Rwanda and Laos.”
This partnership will actively engage governments, funders, communities, local clinical leaders, and selected NGO partners to ensure eye health solutions are locally owned and sustainable long after external support ends.
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Alongside implementing partners and government allies, the partnership will clear cataract backlogs, trial innovative models of care, build more sustainable local systems, and unlock breakthrough funding.
