About VHI
VHI was founded in 1985 to serve communities around the world with vision care. While much of our work over the years was in Latin America, we added domestic field programs in 2018 and are proud to serve underserved communities in the US and around the world. We provide high-quality, direct patient care to the communities we serve. Our services include comprehensive eye exams, life-altering surgeries, prosthetic eyes, dispensing of eyeglasses and protective eyewear, and more. We recently expanded our programming in the wake of COVID-19 to include free, pop-up eye clinics in underserved communities in the U.S., sponsorship of continued education for international medical professionals, as well as financial resources to remove barriers to surgical eye care abroad.
Volunteer With Us
Key to the success of our work are our partnerships with host communities. VHI will schedule field programs only at the invitation of—and in collaborations with—local leaders, regional or national officials, or eye care or medical professionals. When we work in the U.S., we partner with local, community-based organizations and clinics to reach and recruit patients in need. We plan and implement week-long international service trips, and one-day pop-up eye clinics in underserved communities in the U.S. We recruit dedicated vision care professionals and highly-qualified personnel to volunteer their time, in order to deliver high-quality vision care to communities in need. We also recruit non-medical professionals to support our programs through other roles, including logistical clinic support, vision screenings, and capturing and sharing photos and other content for our website and social media!
Our Impact
The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1.3 billion people around the globe live with some form of vision impairment, 80% of which can be prevented or cured. Roughly 90% of vision-impaired people live in low- and middle-income countries, and those living with vision impairment are more likely to experience other disadvantages, like poverty and barriers to education and employment. We connect with local organizations, communities, and vision health care providers to prevent and treat eye diseases and reverse vision impairment.
Since 1985, we’ve provided…
100+
field program trips
40,000+
eye examinations
7,000+
life-altering operations
Our Partners
Strong partnerships are at the core of our work.
Get Involved
During VHI’s over 30 year history, hundreds of medical professionals—including ophthalmologists, optometrists, anesthesiologists, nurses, and scrub technicians—have volunteered on field programs. Many of our earliest participants continue to volunteer today, and we are eager to meet new professional and non-medical volunteers. Our field programs offer the experience of a lifetime. We work with people who have little to no access to eye care and are grateful for the high-quality care we provide.