Too many people live in areas that have access to little or no eye care services. Unfortunately, without access to basic eye care, treatable eye infections like trachoma can cause people a lifetime of blindness. Trachoma is a painful bacterial eye infection that, if untreated, can rob individuals of their sight permanently. Supporting this project enables Orbis to perform surgeries reversing the impact of trachoma, and preserving vision and averting a lifetime of blindness.
Globally 125 million people are at risk, and 42 countries are affected. Yet nearly half of the people at risk worldwide are in Ethiopia. Trachoma often starts in childhood, and if left untreated, it can cause extreme pain as eyelashes turn inwards, with scarring that ultimately leads to permanent blindness. Losing the ability to see not only robs people of their vision but also deprives them of their livelihoods. Immediate surgery is essential to prevent the irreversible loss of vision.
Particularly in remote areas of southern Ethiopia, there are currently few or no eye care facilities, yet a simple surgery can save someone's sight. By supporting this project, you contribute to providing 500 critically needed surgeries, meaning you prevent 500 individuals from experiencing blindness. In countries like Ethiopia, when sight is restored, it means so much. Not only for the individual but also for their family and the local economy, effectively breaking the chains of poverty.
Over the next three years, Orbis will conduct over 3,500 surgeries. This will ensure that communities across southern Ethiopia gain access to safe and high-quality eye care services, empowering them to overcome the intertwined challenges of poverty and blindness. By providing these services, we empower individuals to overcome the complex challenges posed by blindness, opening pathways towards a more promising future.
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