Ophthalmologists

Our Volunteer Eye Surgeons

Affiliate with SEE

Before You Go

Forms and Downloads

Expedition Calendar

What Ophthalmologists Are Saying

Training and Education

Philanthropic Leadership Ambassador Program

Our Volunteer Eye Surgeons

SEE International’s affiliate network consists of more than 650 ophthalmologists from 75 countries. Some of our affiliates serve primarily as hosts for clinics, while others travel extensively. All of our affiliated surgeons donate their professional services (valued at $27 million in 2009) and cover their own travel expenses or provide accommodation for visiting surgeons. Working together, our visiting and host volunteer eye surgeons have performed more than 384,000 sight-restoring surgeries, transforming the lives of the patients and their families.

The restoration of sight to a single person transforms not only his or her own life, the lives of everyone connected to that person improves. Once sight is recovered, a productive life is possible again, and whoever set aside their own work or school to take care of that blind person can return to the field, market, or classroom.

In Namibia, an African country with a population of 2 million and a high occurrence of cataract at a relatively young age, SEE has completed 13 expeditions in the past three years. SEE’s volunteer eye surgeons worked closely with host ophthalmologist Dr. Helena Ndume to restore the sight of more than 1,350 individuals in six townships.