The Problem Preventable blindness and vision impairment. Worldwide, 36 million people live with blindness, and another 217 million are visually impaired. Yet three out of four cases of blindness are preventable. Further, avoidable vision impairment disproportionately affects the global poor. Nearly 90 percent of those affected live in the developing world, where a combination of malnutrition, poor water quality, lack of sanitation and inadequate healthcare and health education conspires to spread diseases which damage vision and impede access to treatment. Visual impairment further entrenches people in poverty and can be deadly for sufferers: over half of children die within a few years of going blind, either from the underlying disease or due to the inability of their impoverished families to care for them.
The Solution Lost-cost cataract surgeries and vision procedures. Around 75 percent of all visual impairments can be prevented or cured. In many cases, a person’s sight and livelihood can be restored through the use of inexpensive medication or surgery. Cataracts cause half of global blindness (and a third of all visual impairment). Restorative surgery is one of the most cost- effective of all public health interventions.
How Seva is different from other charities Seva’s vision is a world free of blindness. Seva’s revolutionary cataract interventions mean that as little as $50 can fund a cataract surgery for an individual in the developing world. The 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study showed that, because of the efforts of organizations such as Seva, in 2010, 18.5 million fewer people were blind than would have been expected given population growth and ageing since 1990.
How much do individuals pay for their eye care? Seva’s comprehensive approach expands community programs and provides free or low-cost eye exams, surgery, prescription glasses, and medical treatment to those who cannot afford the cost of services.
Which populations are most at risk for vision impairment? Developing countries account for nearly 90 percent of the world's cases of blindness and vision impairment—in these low-income countries, almost everyone with cataract becomes blind, so those over 50 are very vulnerable. An estimated 1.4 million children live with blindness around the world and another 19 million are visually impaired. Most of these kids live in areas of the world where even the most basic eye care services continue to be out of reach. Combatting child blindness is one of the most cost effective health interventions and kids who have their sight restored are given an average of 50 years of sight. More than half of people living with blindness and visual impairment are women and girls. In developing countries, women and girls are far less likely to have access to eye care services because of the barriers they face. From lack of education and financial resources to limited decision-making power, Seva and their partners help women and girls overcome barriers.
Why does eye disease correlate with poverty? Malnutrition, inadequate healthcare, lack of education, poor water quality and sanitation often lead to a high incidences of eye disease and preventable blindness in the developing world. As a result, these vision conditions can exacerbate the cycle of poverty and blindness for the world’s most vulnerable communities. Why does The Life You Can Save recommend Seva? Seva has been one of our recommended charities since before our current charity selection process was adopted in November 2016. Preventable blindness has a reputation for being a highly cost-effective intervention. Seva was suggested to us as an organization working in this field by Focusing Philanthropy, a highly regarded foundation that we view as mission and value aligned. Focusing Philanthropy has done significant due diligence on Seva, including multiple site visits.
Will my donation be tax-deductible? Donations to Seva are tax-deductible for US donors. Canadian donors can make tax-advantaged gifts to Seva's sister organization, Seva Canada. Eligible UK donors can claim Gift Aid by donating to Seva through The Life You Can Save UK here.