Ensuring equitable and accessible healthcare for vulnerable populations, such as those in  rural or economically disadvantaged areas, remains a global challenge, especially in the field of eye care. People in these communities face significant barriers to accessing essential services. Addressing those barriers is critical in reducing preventable blindness and improving overall public health outcomes. 

At the 2024 Focus on Eye Health Summit, the Jenny Pomoy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health was awarded to Mission for Vision (MFV), a non-profit dedicated to eradicating avoidable blindness, particularly in low-income settings. Read about MFV’s positive impact on eye health, and how they bring hope to underserved communities.*

How Mission for Vision Makes a Positive Impact

Mission for Vision (MFV) was founded in 2000. Over the years, it has:

• Positively impacted more than 19.7 million people in India
• Trained over 700 allied ophthalmic personnel, mostly women from rural areas, who serve about 1,500 patients annually
• Supported more than 830,000 children, addressing complex eye conditions such as retinopathy of prematurity and retinoblastoma
• Established 153 vision centers, including five mobile units, providing eye care to over 7.3 million people in remote areas

Alarming Statistics and Global Trends

“Blindness is closely interlinked with poverty,” MFV CEO Elizabeth Curian explained, “and it disproportionately impacts indigenous people, rural communities, and migrant populations.” The numbers, she states, are alarming. 

• According to the World Health Organization, 2.2 billion people live with vision impairment, and at least 1 billion of these cases could have been prevented or remain untreated.
• About 90% of vision loss occurs in low and middle-income countries, disproportionately affecting women (55% of cases) and older adults (34% over age 50).
• The economic impact is enormous, with an estimated $420 billion in lost productivity each year due to vision loss.
• By 2050, the number of visually impaired people is projected to rise to 1.7 billion, with 90% of cases potentially preventable or treatable.

Addressing Barriers and Future Challenges

Mission for Vision’s approach, Curian says, is people-centered, focusing on accessible and affordable care “to every visually impaired human being, irrespective of their nationality, religion, or socioeconomic level.” 

• Its model enables hospitals to treat non-paying patients using income generated from paying clients. The vision centers sustain themselves through modest fees and the sale of eyeglasses.
• Workforce development is also key. By training allied ophthalmic staff from underserved regions, MFV addresses the human resources gap in rural areas.
• The organization’s work has created significant improvements in patient outcomes. Post-cataract surgery, 71% of patients achieved very good visual acuity, and 77% have reported improved mobility, highlighting the life-changing effects of eye surgery.

Looking ahead, Curian predicts, the biggest challenge MFV faces remains the shortage of trained healthcare professionals, particularly in rural areas. Expanding human resources, she says, is critical to scaling these efforts and improving access to quality care for all.

*Prevent Blindness. (2024, July 10). Mission for Vision: A Quarter Century of Person-Centered Eye Care [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIuZykOux4o 

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