Orbis Appeal: changing the way the world sees

Thanks to people like you, Orbis-trained medical professionals are delivering the very best eye care in their communities. And with healthy sight, more children are receiving an education. More mothers and fathers are able to support their families. More communities are thriving.

Yet despite our progress, an estimated 253 million people in the world are still blind or visually impaired, including 19 million children — an overwhelming 75% from preventable causes.

That’s why we're urging our supporters to reaffirm your commitment to ending preventable blindness.

Together we will break down the obstacles that keep our world’s most vulnerable people from receiving the eye care they need.

We will help more women, men, and children see and create their own bright futures.

Mothers like Obito, who lives in Ethiopia with her husband Salfago and their three children, are counting on your generosity.

Obito was in the advanced stage of trachoma, a highly contagious bacterial eye infection that can lead to irreversible blindness. Her right eyelid had turned inward. The lashes scratched painfully and relentlessly against her eyeball. Obito’s extreme sensitivity to light made even routine activities like food shopping and preparing meals for her family difficult — if not impossible.

Thankfully, Tsehay, an Orbis-trained eye health care worker, visited Obito’s community as part of a public education program on preventing and treating trachoma and other vision problems.

Tsehay examined Obito and encouraged her to make an appointment at a nearby Orbis-supported health center. There, Tsehay performed a safe, 20-minute surgery that restored Obito’s vision.

After years of suffering, Obito was already feeling better a few days later. “Now after the surgery I am OK again! I can do my routine activities,” she says with the brightest of smiles on her face.

In 18 countries throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America, medical professionals like Tsehay are bringing healthy vision to their communities — some of our world’s poorest, most remote, and underserved places. And mothers like Obito and their families are leading fuller and richer lives.

It’s all because of supporters like you and your amazing generosity! Here’s what our Orbis community of donors made possible in 2017:

• 8.7 million medical and optical treatments administered
• 5 million screenings and eye exams conducted
• 96,000 surgeries and laser procedures performed
• 4,500 doctors trained

Behind those numbers are people like Tsehay and Obito. Their story is proof that a world free from preventable blindness is possible.

We hope they inspire people like you to make your year-end contribution today, because the next Tsehay is out there, eager to provide top-quality care to her community. And there is also another mother like Obito who wants nothing more than the chance to take care of her family, which restored vision will make possible.

You have the power to help more people like Tsehay and Obito transform their lives.

For their sake, please donate below.

P.S. Salfago, Obito’s husband, said: “We love Orbis and how they are coming to our community to provide the treatment we deserve.” Orbis is there because of you. Please make your year-end gift today. Thank you again!