The London Vision Clinic Foundation: Charity Initiatives and Partnerships

While a few decades ago, a procedure that can eliminate refractive errors in a matter of minutes and see patients back at work the very next day seemed like a pipe-dream. Yet, it is now possible to do just that – and it has been for a long time. You can walk into a clinic in the morning and be resting at home having had your vision corrected the very same afternoon. Today, Laser Eye Surgery is one of the most popular elective treatments in the world, with around 100,000 being performed in the UK alone every year.

But such a treatment is not available everywhere. Indeed, there are many people around the world who still do not have access to glasses. In some countries and regions, individuals can find themselves stuck enduring treatable vision impairment and even blindness simply because they do not have the practical or financial means to undergo correction.

At London Vision Clinic, we believe that clear vision should be a right for everyone, no matter where they live. That’s why we started the London Vision Clinic Foundation with the aim of using our expertise and technology for the benefit of those who need it most.

Preventable Vision Impairment in the Developing World

It may surprise you to learn that around half of treatable vision impairment and blindness in the developing world is down to the simplest factor: uncorrected refractive error. In these areas, many people with myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness), presbyopia, and astigmatism remain visually impaired simply because they are unable to afford a pair of glasses. In other cases, they may simply not have access to the eye care services they need.

Tragically, this often results in people being unable to work to support themselves and their families. Furthermore, untreated vision impairment and blindness is associated with a significant reduction in life expectancy. For example, in Nepal, the life expectancy for someone who becomes blind is less than three years. In some cases, these individuals may even be marginalised due to traditional beliefs that blindness is the result of a curse or a penance for previous sins.

Around 1 billion people worldwide may suffer from preventable vision impairment or blindness globally, with 90% of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Yet, proportionally, little effort and funding is dedicated to tackling this global issue.

Tackling the Vision Gap

In Nepal, two-thirds of families live on less than $2 a day, and half live on $1.25 a day. With such limited income, stretching budgets to include eye care and glasses can be extremely difficult. Moreover, given the tough environmental conditions many face, glasses can often last for less than a year, meaning replacements are repeatedly required. So, we decided to take a different approach.

The London Vision Clinic Foundation partnered with one of the leading humanitarian eye care organisations in the world to deliver laser eye treatments to some of the communities that would benefit the most. Alongside cureblindness.org and the Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) – an initiative aimed at eliminating blindness from cataracts and other treatable eye conditions – we established a treatment project based at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Nepal. The initiative was the first of its kind and has since helped to treat thousands of people in Himalayan country.

Dr Sanduk Ruit and Dr Geoff Tabin started the Himalayan Cataract Project back in 1995 with the aim of eradicating as much unnecessary blindness in their lifetimes as possible. Through their work, they have proven that hospital-level standards can be applied in remote areas – even those lacking access to electricity and clean water.

In 2009, the USAID’s Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (AHSA) awarded a $700,000 grant to support the renovation of the former Tilganga outpatient clinic in Kathmandu. Our founder, Professor Dan Reinstein, was appointed Director of Refractive Surgery on the Medical Advisory Board of Cureblindness.org. His unique experience as a leading authority in refractive surgical training, research and systemisation of high-volume, high-quality Laser Eye Surgery was well aligned with the philosophy of the Himalayan Cataract Project.

Modern Surgical Resources

Together with the help of the Georg and Emily von Opel Foundation, and a personal donation from Amer Al-Tajir and family, the London Vision Clinic Foundation sponsored clinical training of doctors and the purchase of a modern surgical suite, making high-quality refractive surgery a reality. Moreover, both Tilganga’s Dr Kishore Pradhan, and the other staff of the new refractive surgery unit, were trained by London Vision Clinic, both on-site in Kathmandu, and here in London.

The laser refractive suite was equipped with Carl Zeiss Meditec’s state-of-the-art MEL90 and VisuMax lasers. NexTech – one of the leading electronic medical records providers – also donated their systems, so that the London Vision Clinic’s own protocols and templates could be directly implemented at Tilganga.

Since the launch of the initiative, our expert surgeons, Professor Reinstein and Glenn Carp have visited Tilganga. Together with Dr Pradhan and cureblindness.org, we’re proud to be taking meaningful steps to eliminate preventable visual impairment in Nepal. We hope to continue to provide ground-breaking technology and professional expertise to expand these efforts and improve eye care in the developing world in the years to come.

London Vision Clinic Foundation is a registered charity: Reg. Charity No. 1122593