BRAC commemorates 19 years of advancing eye health on World Sight Day

BRAC is celebrating 19 years of dedicated service to improving vision care across Bangladesh through its comprehensive eye care programmes, which have reached some 17.7 million people. 

This milestone coincides with World Sight Day on Thursday.

BRAC Health's eye care initiative, now operating in 61 districts, is marking the occasion with over 350 eye camps and more than 50 awareness rallies nationwide. Senior local government officials at upazila level have been invited to take part in these events, highlighting the importance of eye health in public wellbeing. 

The campaign, expected to reach around 10,000 people, targets vulnerable populations, including people with disabilities, women, and marginalised groups in rural communities, providing essential vision services such as reading glasses and affordable cataract surgeries.

Md Akramul Islam, senior director at BRAC, said, "Nearly two decades ago we began our eye care work to open access to vision correction for those who could not afford it. Today, on World Sight Day, we reaffirm our commitment to reach every community where preventable blindness still robs people of opportunity and potential."

Misha Mahjabeen, country director of VisionSpring Bangladesh, added, "Visual impairment is not only a health issue; it affects dignity and economic opportunity. On World Sight Day, we renew our commitment to making good vision accessible for all." 

BRAC collaborates with VisionSpring and Sightsavers to expand access to vision correction and raise awareness about preventable blindness. VisionSpring, a long‑standing partner, has been instrumental in advancing presbyopia initiatives over the past 19 years, enabling millions to access affordable care.

Surveys indicate that over 750,000 people in Bangladesh suffer from visual impairment or blindness, with untreated cataract as the leading cause

Since its inception, BRAC's eye care programme has screened over 11 million people for presbyopia — the inability to focus on nearby objects — and distributed more than 2.2 million pairs of glasses. Cataract camps, organised in partnership with local hospitals, have ensured high‑quality care. In 2024 alone, 17,741 cataract cases were identified and 13,191 surgeries performed through the network.