Over 2 million people in Africa are impacted by blindness

75% of all blindness is curable or preventable, and yet millions of vulnerable people continue to live in darkness. Blindness is a direct cause of poverty as it prevents people from working, going to school, and impacts their contributions to society.

A leading cause of blindness is cataracts. Cataract is the clouding of the lens of the eye, which is usually clear. The clouding begins to affect vision, and if left untreated can result in complete loss of sight. Cataracts are easily curable, whereby the clouded lens is removed and replaced with a clear one. Despite the simple procedure, many people living in impoverished communities do not have access to quality healthcare.

International Islamic Youth League is providing free cataract surgeries, screenings and testing to people from impoverished backgrounds around the world. Since 2010, we have carried out an incredible 252, 028 free cataract surgeries – giving the gift of sight to those in need.