Eye care & the gender gap. Let’s talk about it.

Photo by Apurva Shroff: At 16 years of age, Arati (on the right with her mother) was diagnosed with diabetes, causing cataracts in both her eyes. After receiving a free cataract surgery she is considering going back to school and continuing her studies!

It’s 2024, and women are still struggling to access equitable health care. How is this? Supporters like you have asked us this question quite a few times and we’re glad you do – we appreciate the hard q’s.

The disparities we’re grappling with are centuries old. Economic barriers, gender politics, and social norms – to name a few – make it difficult for women in developing countries to access eye care. 

Seva has worked to untangle and address these challenges for 45 years. From hiring and training local women as eye care professionals who can contribute to the local economy, to gender-responsive outreach and policy advocacy, we work in more than 20 countries to empower and serve women.

Here are a few of the profound ways you are helping Seva to level the playing field for women and girls.

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This is how we do it.

Foundacion Vision Mobile Vision Center in Peru.

Restoring sight looks different in every area. No two communities, geographies, or cultures are the same – we work closely with local partners to understand what prevents people from accessing eye care and what we can do about it. 

Vision Centers (VCs) are one way we achieve this. These local establishments are equipped to meet 80% of all eye care needs, and refer patients who require more specialized care to a partner hospital. In the past five years, through your support, we’ve established 139 VCs in remote areas of the world, creating life-changing access to eye care for millions along the way. Read below for four different types of VCs:

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This camera is making history, and so are you!

Photo of the Vistaro camera being field-tested in Mozambique.

You just helped us turn a page in diagnosing eye diseases. You may remember, Seva, in partnership with Remidio Innovative Solutions, developed Pristine 5.0 Retinal Camera (formerly Vistaro) – a revolutionary, wide-field retinal camera that transforms how clinics diagnose conditions affecting the back of the eye. 

Why is Pristine 5.0 so important? Most medical devices that image the back of the eye are out of reach for communities. This leaves many blindness-causing infections, including CMV retinitis – commonly found in those living with HIV – to go undiagnosed. Pristine 5.0 is cost-effective, portable, and durable – it could help reduce AIDS-related blindness by half! 

We’ve heard from our partners in Ukraine, Mozambique & India who’ve been field-testing the camera – and it’s already making waves in the community. As a Seva supporter, you have played an important part in helping to make this moment in eye tech history possible.

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Clearing the Path to Higher Ground

Mr. Ram Prasad Kandel talking with patients after their cataract surgeries.

Ram Prasad Kandel Retires After 25 Years of Caring Service

It’s not hyperbole to say there ain’t no mountain high enough to deter Seva’s Nepal Program Director, Ram Prasad Kandel. For the past 25-plus years, he’s been on the road with Seva, traversing hilly terrain and rough roads in Nepal, India, and Cambodia to support eye camps, establish Vision Centers, and connect with the people who come seeking help.

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New Vision Centers: Mobilizing Towards Eye Health Equity

Last year, Seva and partners established 30 new vision centers across Bangladesh, Guatemala, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, and the United States. Of these, we are thrilled to share that 26 have been inaugurated.

Vision Center inaugurations are attended by local leaders who introduce the eye professionals and paraprofessionals to the people they serve. By doing so, they build trust and promote the importance of proper eye care. It also helps to normalize eye care throughout the region and spread the word that treatment and care are now accessible.

Donor Shout-Outs – Spring 2023

To know Terrie Velasquez is to know goodness

In the early 70s, a series of experiences – from  reading Ram Dass’s “Be Here Now,” to being a fan of The Grateful Dead, to learning about Wavy Gravy – led Terrie Velasquez to Seva. She’s a firm believer in giving back to communities, and for her, the stars aligned with Seva.  

“I knew that Seva worked in many countries, and I knew Seva held many of my own personal values. SEVA = selfless service.” 

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MODO does more to bring eye care to all! 

MODO, an international eyewear company, has been vital to helping Seva increase access to eye care globally. In 2018, Seva made a commitment to screen one million children and provide all necessary follow-up care by December 2020. This undertaking was supported by Seva’s corporate partner, MODO, and other Seva supporters. 

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Start-ups aren’t the only ones disrupting old patterns …

Photo: Pristine 5.0 Retinal Camera (formerly Vistaro) in action.

When you think of “disruptive and revolutionary tech,” what comes to mind?

Major companies, start-ups, a laboratory on the brink of discovery – but what about nonprofits?

You read that right, nonprofits. We know nonprofits don’t often come top of mind as being “disruptive,” but we’re here to paint a new picture. Compassion has always been an important driver of innovation at Seva.

At Seva, we invest in a suite of cutting-edge and revolutionary technologies to create a world free of avoidable blindness. Leveraging millions of data points, four decades of experience, and a network of leading public health experts, engineers, and physicians, our best-in-class tech solutions revolutionize the way eye care is delivered worldwide.

“We operate at the scale of a major corporation and the nimbleness of a start-up. Straddling this balance is disrupting the future of ophthalmology and public health – for good”.

– Kate Moynihan, Executive Director, Seva Foundation.

This is the new frontier of compassion driven eye care tech that you support:

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Meet the Heroes Next Door

Uma Ganga
Uma Ganga examines a patient’s eyes.

They walk the world as ophthalmologists, technicians, nurses, outreach workers, and more. 

In reality, they’re heroes. 

It takes a village to end avoidable blindness. Surgeons, health administrators, and so many others are crucial links in a patient’s journey to clear sight. We couldn’t do it without them. 

But who are these remarkable folks? We’ve found that the best eye care professionals are right next door – members of the local community who understand what’s needed to provide culturally adept care. With your support, we invest in their world-class training at every single level – from health volunteers to highly skilled ophthalmologists. This ensures that local communities will always have access to eye care, even long after Seva’s direct involvement. 

We call them the heroes next door. Meet a few of them and see why.

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