FAQs

Can I make a cash donation?

Sorry, we can’t accept cash donations. If you can’t give with a credit card online, please make your check or money order payable to Sightsavers International, Inc. and send to: 

Sightsavers International, Inc.
PO Box 942 
Ayer, MA 01432

Do you accept donations of glasses?

No, sorry. We do not send second-hand glasses to developing countries. It’s very difficult to match the prescription of a donated pair of glasses to a beneficiary. Recycled spectacles are also often damaged or scratched, meaning they can’t be used. And because second-hand spectacles were prescribed for an individual, they can often be uncomfortable for another user, simply because they don’t fit properly. Instead, we fund local production of glasses which are then used as an income-generating project for our local partners, providing high quality glasses at a small cost.

Can you help specific individuals in the places you work?

Sightsavers does not employ ophthalmologists directly and hence is unable to comment on or offer any diagnosis, or recommend treatment for eye conditions or diseases.

Do you hire eye care specialists?

As we do not send clinical teams out to the countries in which we work, or support surgical teams in country, we do not actively employ or place clinical staff. We are therefore unable to assist with requests for employment or overseas placements.

Do you have any opportunities for volunteers?

We work through local organizations, or partners, rather than sending staff or volunteers. Working in this way ensures that we draw on local experience and train local people to promote long-term sustainability. That means we don’t provide volunteer opportunities – but thank you for your interest.

Can you treat me for an eye condition?

We do not work in the U.S.

What are your main objectives?

At present, 37 million people are blind and another 124 million have serious visual impairment. Over the next 20 years, another 100 million people will needlessly lose their sight. Our aim is to prevent the tragedy of avoidable blindness. We work alongside governments and local organizations in more than 30 countries to provide the funding, support and expertise needed to make a lasting difference to those who are tragically going blind. The effects of this work will be seen for many lifetimes.

What makes Sightsavers different from other charities? Why should people give to you?

Many people support a range of charities that deal with ongoing problems. In our case, we aim to stop preventable blindness forever. If we receive the funding and support we need, we can carry on providing the treatment and support services necessary to eradicate preventable blindness. In fact, we'd like to think that, one day, we'll all be out of a job. So the gift that you make really will make an incredible difference to the world.

Can your eye care projects really make a difference when the scale of the problem is so huge in developing countries?

It is impossible to calculate the exact number of people who have benefited from all the projects that Sightsavers has helped to establish. However, we do know that we have restored sight to approximately 4.5 million people and treated more than 50 million for conditions which threaten their sight. More than 1.5 million villagers are now protected against river blindness due to the Mectizan® distribution program we support.

What is your relationship with your partners?

Sightsavers International does not implement projects directly, but works through local partner organizations. This method of working enables us to promote the establishment of appropriate, sustainable and cost-effective services in poor and underserved areas. Our partners implement the programs and conduct service delivery, using local staff.

Where do your funds come from?

The vast majority of our support comes directly from people like you through individual or monthly gifts, a legacy or bequest, or through fundraising events run by local communities. Another part of our funding comes from corporate sponsors who help us to run awareness events and draw attention to the problem of avoidable blindness.