In Ethiopia 4 million suffer from cataract blindness or low vision and in China 6.7 wait for cataract surgery. The ASCRS Foundation is now working in both countries, providing care and training surgeons.

Here at home, foundation research grants have funded over 60 studies and our Eye Surgery Education Council website provides patients with an honest, non-branded information portal for learning about the benefits and risks of cataract and refractive surgery.

Why Your Donation Matters

Humanitarian Eyecare

• Ethiopia: The ASCRS Foundation's Robert Sinskey Eye Institute in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia treated 10,000 patients in 2010. In the next few months a construction effort will double the size of the facility and allow us to hire additional medical staff. Ethiopia is among the world's poorest countries and it's not uncommon for Sinskey Eye Institute patients to travel hundreds of miles for care.
• China: The ASCRS Foundation is working with Project Vision to help train the next generation of rural Chinese cataract surgeons. With the backing of the Chinese Central Government, over 100 small eye clinics will be built in outlying regions. The foundation and Project Vision have established four training centers to educate the surgeons who'll ultimately staff the clinics.

Research

The ASCRS Foundation provides first-step seed money to explore new ideas. It is the foundation's goal to foster innovative thinking and encourage the development of promising treatment options. Over $350,000 has been awarded through the foundation’s ongoing research initiative.

Public Awareness/Education

The foundation’s Eye Surgery Education Council provides accurate and unbiased information about ophthalmic surgical options at www.eyesurgeryeducation.org. We work to properly educate both the public and the press about cataract and refractive surgery, and to counterbalance much of the marginalized and agenda-driven material that now clutters the web.

The foundation has made tremendous progress in a short period of time. We need your help to continue.

Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the ASCRS Foundation.

Best regards,

Richard L. Lindstrom, MD
Chairman, ASCRS Foundation