£200 funds a complete
cataract operation

All surgical procedures are performed by locally-licensed and registered ophthalmologists working in registered hospitals and clinics — PMDC-registered in Pakistan, KKI-registered in Indonesia and MMC-registered in Malaysia. World Aid Network funds the cost of surgery; we do not employ surgeons or operate theatres.

A routine cataract operation using phacoemulsification technique takes approximately 15–20 minutes per eye. Patients are typically discharged the same day — cataract surgery is performed as a day-case outpatient procedure in registered hospital facilities.

Cataract surgery is performed under local anaesthetic eye drops and is not painful. Patients may experience mild pressure or a sensation of movement during the procedure, but not pain. Post-operative discomfort is usually mild and managed with prescribed eye drops and simple analgesia.

Cataract surgery is one of the most successful operations in medicine. In experienced hands, the probability of achieving significantly improved vision exceeds 95%. Complications — including posterior capsule rupture, infection (endophthalmitis) and raised intraocular pressure — are rare and manageable with prompt treatment.

For the majority of patients, cataract surgery restores vision to near-normal levels. Following surgery and fitting of the correct intraocular lens (IOL) implant, most patients no longer need glasses for distance vision. Some may still require glasses for reading, depending on the lens type used and any pre-existing refractive error.

After surgery, patients use prescribed antibiotic and anti-inflammatory eye drops for several weeks. Vision typically improves within 24–48 hours and continues to improve over two to four weeks as the eye heals. Follow-up assessments confirm the final visual outcome and check for complications.

Our programme covers cataracts, glaucoma, trachoma, diabetic retinopathy, corneal disease and other surgically treatable conditions where the sole barrier to treatment is cost. Trustees prioritise cases where surgery can restore functional sight.

Surgical options for glaucoma include trabeculectomy (creating a new drainage channel to reduce intraocular pressure), minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), and tube or shunt implants. The approach depends on the type and severity of glaucoma and the patient's response to medical treatment. World Aid Network funds surgical intervention for glaucoma patients who cannot afford private ophthalmology care.

Trachoma is caused by repeated bacterial infection (Chlamydia trachomatis) that produces progressive scarring of the inner eyelid. This leads to trichiasis — the eyelid turns inward and eyelashes scratch the cornea, causing pain and irreversible corneal damage. A surgical procedure called bilamellar tarsal rotation corrects the eyelid position and stops further corneal damage. The procedure takes approximately 15 minutes and is highly effective when performed early by a trained surgeon.

Yes. The programme is not restricted by age. Children with treatable conditions — including childhood cataracts (which must be treated early to prevent permanent amblyopia), squint requiring surgical correction, or trachoma — are eligible where both clinical need and financial need are established by the partner hospital.

Partner hospitals refer patients based on documented clinical need and a means test confirming the patient cannot afford private care. Our trustees approve funding in line with our published grant criteria.

Yes. Donations to the eye surgery programme fund the direct cost of surgery — theatre fees, consumables and post-operative care — at partner hospitals. World Aid Network covers administrative costs from separate unrestricted funds.

Partner hospitals maintain surgical waiting lists and can schedule procedures as soon as funds are confirmed — in many cases within days of a referral being approved.

A locally-licensed ophthalmologist is a fully qualified eye surgeon registered with the national medical council in their country of practice — PMDC in Pakistan, KKI in Indonesia, and MMC in Malaysia. This is equivalent to GMC registration in the UK. All surgeons in our programme hold current registration with their national medical council.

Surgery addresses the root cause of sight loss — it removes the cataract, treats the glaucoma, or corrects the eyelid. Glasses compensate for refractive error but cannot restore sight lost to cataract or glaucoma. Where a surgical procedure exists that can permanently restore or protect vision, we fund the operation directly.

World Aid Network is a UK Charitable Incorporated Organisation with charity registration in progress. Gift Aid will be claimable once registration is granted — meaning UK taxpayers will be able to add 25p for every £1 donated at no cost to them. We will contact all donors to process Gift Aid declarations once registration is confirmed.

Yes. A donation of £200 funds a complete cataract operation including surgery, consumables and follow-up care. You can donate any multiple of this amount and we will allocate your gift to as many operations as it covers. On request, we can provide an impact update confirming how your donation was used.

Yes. Many supporters make memorial gifts to the eye surgery programme in honour of a loved one. Please contact us at [email protected] and we will ensure your tribute is recorded and acknowledged appropriately.

Through World Aid Network, a complete cataract operation costs approximately £200. That figure covers the surgeon, intraocular lens, sterile consumables, anaesthesia and follow-up at a partner hospital in Pakistan, Indonesia or Malaysia. Other UK charities quote lower 'gift' prices that may represent a contribution toward wider programmes rather than a full itemised operation. Always check what is included.

No. Large international eye-health organisations often run training hospitals, flying hospital programmes or multi-country prevention campaigns. World Aid Network is a UK CIO (registration in progress) with a narrower model: it funds named-patient, sight-restoring surgery through locally licensed ophthalmologists in Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia — and does not operate hospitals or send overseas surgical teams.

High-volume, ultra-low-cost cataract surgery is a delivery model used by many partner eye hospitals worldwide: standardised phacoemulsification or small-incision techniques, reusable sterile packs where safe, and high theatre throughput. World Aid Network funds complete operations at about £200 through such partner hospitals — surgeon, intraocular lens, consumables, anaesthesia and follow-up — without claiming to invent the model.

VISION 2020 and the WHO World Report on Vision frame preventable blindness as a global priority. World Aid Network's contribution is practical: funding sight-restoring cataract and related surgery for poor patients in three Object countries. We are not the IAPB coordinating alliance and do not claim Vision 2020 programme ownership.

We fund surgically treatable eye conditions where cost is the barrier — mainly cataract surgery and related sight-saving procedures at partner hospitals. Refractive-error guides cover glasses educationally. We do not run retinal research laboratories or build hospitals; macular degeneration and other retinal conditions appear in our eye-health guides as general information.

Yes. World Aid Network runs a dedicated Pakistan eye surgery programme. Donations can support cataract and other sight-restoring operations delivered by PMDC-registered ophthalmologists at partner hospitals. See /eye-surgery/pakistan. Country preference can be noted when giving; allocation follows clinical need and trustee-approved patient lists.

Partner hospitals use modern techniques — phacoemulsification or manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS), depending on equipment and case complexity — with a standard monofocal intraocular lens comparable in class to NHS practice. World Aid Network funds the cost of care; clinical decisions remain with the treating ophthalmologist. Outcomes are monitored via post-operative visual acuity reports from the partner hospital.

Card donations are open now at worldaidnetwork.org/donate. Approximately £200 funds one complete cataract operation. Gift Aid is not claimable until Charity Commission registration is granted (application 5290505).