Restoring Sight to Millions of People | The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ

Fred’s mission

Fred Hollows was an internationally renowned eye surgeon and humanitarian who worked tirelessly to end avoidable blindness. While it didn’t happen in his life time, we’re working hard to make sure it happens in ours.

We're known for providing cost-effective treatments for sight loss caused by cataract and diabetes eye disease. We also work with Ministries of Health to provide eye care to thousands of patients suffering from other eye conditions. We're in it for the long haul, and won't stop until avoidable blindness is a thing of the past.

What is avoidable blindness?

Globally, it's estimated that 9 out of 10 people who are blind don't need to be. Eye conditions like cataract and diabetes eye disease can cause sight loss and blindness even though they're treatable or preventable. An estimated 90 per cent of the world’s visually impaired people live in low-income countries. Disadvantaged and vulnerable communities are the worst affected because there's a strong link between eye health, poverty and education.

Our work in the Pacific

We work to eliminate avoidable blindness in the Pacific by making eye care accessible for all. In many cases a short 20 minute operation can restore sight. We work in partnership with local Ministries of Health to screen for signs of disease and provide the right treatment.

"I believe the basic attribute of mankind is to look after each other, and that’s what makes humans look after other humans when they are in need."
- Professor Fred Hollows

What we achieved in 2022

8,217 patients screened for diabetes eye disease
2,211 patients received treatment for diabetes eye disease
10,445 spectacles dispensed

The value of restoring sight

The impact of restoring sight goes far beyond treating blindness. It's also an effective way to tackle poverty. Children can go to school, adults can go to work or start a business, and the financial and social burden on families and communities is reduced.

We’re putting ourselves out of a job

Fred didn't believe in flying eye doctors into a country or simply handing out cash. He believed communities and governments should work together to tackle avoidable blindness. Like Fred, we work with local people to train eye health workers, build and upgrade facilities, develop and introduce new technology, and provide vital equipment.

FAQs

Can I visit one of The Foundation’s overseas programmes?: We appreciate your request to visit our programmes in the Pacific, but unfortunately we can’t allow visitors in our clinics. This is to avoid disruption to our eye care services and to provide privacy and respect to the patients accessing eye care.

How can The Foundation restore sight for $25?: The cost of restoring sight differs from country to country due to a number of varying factors. In some countries, we can restore sight for as little as $25.

This $25 covers the cost of the vital components of cataract surgery including the intraocular lens (IOL) and other consumables such as bandages, local anaesthetic and medications. This $25 does not incorporate the costs of the clinics, equipment or medical training of the doctors and nurses.

Medical treatment in countries like New Zealand is more expensive because it uses different techniques with more advanced and costly equipment. Therefore it’s impossible to compare with other countries whose medical systems are less developed or have limited health budgets. In the Pacific, a manual and more cost-effective technique is used that doesn’t require the expensive technology but achieves the same result.

Another way of looking at it is that in some of the countries where we work, people may be living on only a few dollars a day. The $25 it costs for an operation as a percentage of their yearly income can be quite similar to the approximately $4,000 it costs in New Zealand, where the average yearly income is around $62,000.

I have cataract/eye problems. Can The Foundation help?: If you live in one of the Pacific Island countries where we work we should be able to help. See our individual country pages for more information.

Unfortunately, if you live outside of these countries we can’t provide individual medical advice. We’re an international development organisation that works with local partners in the Pacific to strengthen local eye health systems. This means we don’t have any medical staff or medical facilities outside the Pacific.

Please get in touch with your general health practitioner and they’ll be able to help you.

Why don’t you provide eye care services in New Zealand?: Global research estimates that 9 out of 10 people who are blind or visually impaired don’t need to be, their condition is preventable or treatable. Our focus is in the Pacific where there are chronic shortages of eye doctors and nurses who are able to treat people with avoidable blindness or vision impairment. The impact of these shortages can be seen in countries like Papua New Guinea, where an estimated 5.6% of adults aged over 50 are blind, compared to New Zealand where it is estimated 0.53% of adults over 50 are blind.

In New Zealand we have a public health system that provides a full range of eye care services. If you require treatment, we strongly suggest getting in touch with your general health practitioner or primary healthcare provider.

The Fred Hollows Foundation NZ

Restoring and preserving sight

Millions of people around the world are blind simply because they can't access eye care. Many of our Pacific neighbours are suffering this exact fate.

Fred’s mission

What is avoidable blindness?

Our work in the Pacific

What we achieved in 2022

The value of restoring sight

We’re putting ourselves out of a job

FAQs

Can I visit one of The Foundation’s overseas programmes?

How can The Foundation restore sight for $25?

I have cataract/eye problems. Can The Foundation help?

Why don’t you provide eye care services in New Zealand?

Restoring sight through Pacific outreaches