About the International Eye Foundation
IEF Programs: "Seeing 2000" Helps Children See
Since 1995, IEF's "Seeing 2000" program has saved the sight of over 14,000 children in 13 countries on five continents. Over 200,000 children have benefited from eye examinations and treatment. Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), "Seeing 2000" aims to increase and improve ocular surgery for children by offering sub-grants to indigenous hospitals and eye care organizations in developing countries.
An underlying strength built into the program is its flexibility— locally determined needs are met with locally designed strategies. The sizes of the grants and the variety of methods utilized have encouraged creativity and innovation in implementing eye care programs for children. There have been many unanticipated benefits from "Seeing 2000", including:
- New data on childhood blindness in regions where limited information existed previously
- Improved management systems at eye clinics and hospitals by incorporating standard Quality Improvement techniques
- Greater interest in and development of pediatric eye care services
- Demonstrated value of new outreach programs, resulting in more children being examined and treated, thus leading to the decision to integrate targeted outreach into on-going efforts
- Increased awareness about childhood blindness, especially retinopathy of prematurity
[ IEF Programs ]
The IEF's blindness prevention and sight saving programs are funded by governmental, foundation, and corporate contributors, as well as individuals like you who generously donate online. Our website showcases our successes and our breadth of services to the developing world. Feel free to contact us with specific questions or requests. [ Childhood Blindness in Bolivia ]