HELP THE WORLD SEE

People who live in industrialized, developed countries tend to take eye care for granted—it may seem expensive to some, but not prohibitively so. Those who need care can generally receive it. The reverse is true in most developing countries.

Since 1987, Help The World See (HTWS), a charitable nonprofit organization (IRC 501(c)(3)), has initiated a series of sight-related studies and projects to address the need for basic eye care in developing regions. Our research led us to develop a model for establishing permanent, self-financing eye care clinics that serve the poor for a fraction of prevailing rates.

Please further explore this site to learn more about HTWS and the exciting and beneficial projects we are working on throughout the developing world...to help bring light—the "sunrise" of sight—to those who could not be given it otherwise.

The Basic Need for Eyecare

Basic eye care and eyeglasses contribute not only to the improvement of the quality of life for all ages, but also to the process of national development, because clear vision makes individual productivity possible.

The need for eye care in the developing world is great. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 25% to 30% of the young population have significant refractive errors. Among the population over age 45 more than 90% require corrective lenses. WHO reports that 30% of school age children suffer from some level of refractive error, of which 58% do not use corrective lenses.

In a recent study by Fundacion Mexicana Para la Salud, early vision screening of school children was ranked as the fifth most cost effective intervention for increasing years of healthy life out of a survey of 120 possible intervention practices. Yet, school children are rarely screened for vision, even in many developed countries.

In addition, WHO reports that many developing countries are facing a "graying" of their populations;in the developing world the percentage of persons older than sixty is expected to nearly quadruple over the next 25 years.

In developing regions, eye care has traditionally been a relatively low priority due to many other pressing needs. Adequate eye care services are often not available through the public health system, and private care is inaccessible to many because of cost and location. Thus, the growing need for eye care is in stark contrast to the services available.

"Bringing the world into focus for the first time"