Key Takeaways

  • Zeiss plans to expand its Aloka Vision model to at least two additional countries by 2028, including support for post-cataract care

  • Two initiatives each aim to reach an additional 1 million people annually through eye care services, awareness, and improved access

  • The commitments build on existing partnerships supporting ophthalmic training, equipment donations, and eye care delivery in underserved regions

Zeiss has announced commitments to expand access to eye care, strengthen local ophthalmic services, and improve cataract-related care at the inaugural Global Summit for Eye Health, organized by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and World Health Organization (WHO) on November 2, 2026, in Antigua and Barbuda.

As a High Impact Partner, Zeiss outlined plans to expand its Aloka Vision model to at least two additional countries by 2028 and support country-specific eye health programs. Each initiative aims to reach an additional 1 million people annually.

Operating in India since 2015, the Aloka Vision initiative provides vision screenings, refractions, customized eyewear, and assistance with ophthalmic treatment costs to underserved communities. Now operating independently as the nonprofit Aloka Vision Foundation, the organization has served more than 1.5 million patients.

The planned expansion will involve collaboration with governments and other partners to develop a replicable model that also supports patients following cataract surgery through follow-up screenings and refractive error correction.

“As one of the world’s leading ophthalmic technology companies, Zeiss is uniquely positioned to anchor our commitment focused on what remains the leading cause of blindness worldwide: cataracts,” said Steve Schallhorn, MD, chief medical officer of Zeiss Medical Technology.

Alongside the Aloka expansion, Zeiss plans to strengthen local eye care capacity through school and community programs, professional education, and donations of certified screening equipment, eyeglasses, and intraocular lenses.

Since 2005, Zeiss has supported eye care centers in Tanzania, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Latin America. Its initiatives have also included phacoemulsification training centers and equipment donations to the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital and hospitals in Mozambique, the Philippines, and Cambodia.