Key Takeaways

  • Cure Blindness Project plans to facilitate more than 770,000 eye screenings across Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean for World Sight Day 2026
  • Programs include screenings and treatment as well as workforce training, public education, infrastructure development, and national eye health initiatives
  • The activities contribute to IAPB's broader goal of conducting 2 million eye screenings through more than 250 partners worldwide

Cure Blindness Project announced plans to facilitate more than 770,000 eye screenings across Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean in recognition of World Sight Day on October 8, 2026.

The initiative is part of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness's (IAPB) global effort to conduct 2 million eye screenings through more than 250 partners. Cure Blindness Project said its activities will focus on identifying vision problems, connecting patients with treatment, and strengthening sustainable eye care systems in underserved communities.

“World Sight Day gives us an opportunity to focus global attention on the millions of people who still lack access to basic eye care,” K-T Overbey, CEO of Cure Blindness Project, said in a statement. “These 770,000 screenings represent far more than a number—they are opportunities to identify vision problems, connect people with treatment and help ensure quality eye care is available in communities for generations to come.”

Country teams and partner organizations will mark World Sight Day with screening, treatment, education, training, and other initiatives designed to expand access to eye care.

Eye health initiatives planned across South Asia

In Bhutan, the Ministry of Health, with support from Cure Blindness Project and the World Health Organization, plans to officially disseminate the country's National Eye Health Strategy for the next 5 years on World Sight Day. The strategy is intended to provide a framework for coordinated, long-term eye care planning.

In India, students will participate in a “Love Your Eyes” school poster contest. A community screening and awareness campaign in Sikkim will also offer eye screenings, referrals, and eye health education.

In Nepal, the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology and Cure Blindness Project will conduct a national eye health awareness campaign incorporating screenings, public education, media outreach, and community engagement aimed at encouraging timely access to care.

Programs target access and workforce development in Africa

In Ethiopia, Cure Blindness Project's School Eye Health Project will screen tens of thousands of students across 20 primary schools. Children will receive assessments, treatment, and referrals, with free eyeglasses provided when needed. Teachers and school health personnel will also receive training intended to help integrate eye health into routine school activities.

In Ghana, Cure Blindness Project and its partners have performed more than 12,000 sight-restoring surgeries in hard-to-reach areas during 2026, according to the organization. They have also trained 40 ophthalmic nurses to identify and manage eye conditions and strengthen referral pathways.

The organization is also supporting Ghana's Ministry of Health as it begins developing a National Human Tissue and Organ Transplantation Policy.

In South Sudan, surgical outreach programs have restored sight to nearly 5,000 patients during the past 6 months, according to Cure Blindness Project. The country is also preparing to launch an Ophthalmic Clinical Officers training program intended to decentralize eye care and increase access.

In Eritrea, the organization is supporting specialized eye care capacity through biomedical training for engineers responsible for maintaining surgical equipment and advanced training for ophthalmology residents.

Caribbean initiative targets expanded access

In Antigua and Barbuda, Cure Blindness Project is serving as a lead partner in the Prime Ministerial Vision Initiative.

Plans include 20,000 eye screenings, the establishment and equipping of 2 eye care centers, and a surgical outreach scheduled for late October. The broader initiative is intended to help establish what organizers describe as the first Blindness-Free Zone in the Caribbean.

Building sustainable eye care systems

The World Sight Day programs build on Cure Blindness Project's broader efforts to increase access to eye care while developing local clinical capacity and infrastructure.

Cure Blindness Project and its partners report having collectively performed more than 2 million sight-restoring surgeries, trained more than 20,000 eye care professionals, and provided screenings and basic treatment to more than 20 million people across 30 countries.

The organization said its model combines immediate screening and treatment with investments in local professionals, facilities, and health systems to support sustainable access to eye care.