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Eye surgery programme

Sponsor cataract surgery

Cataracts can make reading, working and getting about difficult. Your gift helps pay for cataract surgery for people in Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia who cannot afford it, carried out by local doctors.

Sponsor cataract surgery
Eye care programme in a clinical setting
Quick answer

Your gift helps pay for cataract surgery for someone in Pakistan, Indonesia or Malaysia who cannot afford it. Local doctors carry out the operation, with assessment beforehand and follow-up afterwards. About £200 is our surgeon-supplied planning estimate for one operation; you can give less, more, or monthly.

What does a gift support?

Cataract care can involve an eye assessment, measurements for an artificial lens, an operation, medicines and follow-up. The treating team decides what a patient needs. Funding must reflect the hospital quote and the services it includes.

Read the cataract guide for general information and the cataract surgery cost guide for questions to ask about a quote.

Where does the £200 figure come from?

About £200 is the planning estimate for one cataract operation supplied to us by consultant ophthalmic surgeon Mr Mohamed Mohyudin. Real costs vary with the patient, the hospital and the follow-up needed, so your gift goes into the eye-care programme rather than paying for one named patient.

A £400 gift is a larger contribution; it does not guarantee two operations. The estimate is separate from UK private clinic prices.

How estimates and actual costs differ · How local doctors and specialist training support the programme

From funding to follow-up

  1. Assess need. A qualified local clinician assesses the patient and recommends suitable care.
  2. Agree funding. Funding decisions consider need, a hospital quote and available programme funds.
  3. Deliver and document care. Clinical teams obtain consent and provide treatment and follow-up.

Read how funding works and the current reporting status. WAN does not provide NHS treatment or individual medical advice through this website.

Give in a way that suits you

Give £50Give £200Give £1,000

A regular contribution can help with planning. Use the eye care donation planner to compare your giving total, or read about giving in memory and monthly donations.

Questions about sponsoring eye care

How much does it cost to sponsor a cataract operation?

The amount depends on a patient-specific hospital quote, the operation, lens, tests and follow-up. Around £200 is a planning estimate supplied to WAN by Mr Mohamed Mohyudin. It is not an audited average, a fixed package price or a guarantee that a gift pays for one complete operation.

Can I give less than £200?

Yes. Gifts of any accepted amount contribute towards the eye care programme. Smaller gifts are combined with other funding according to clinical need; they do not purchase a particular item or reserve a named patient.

Can I sponsor several operations or give monthly?

You can give a larger amount or choose a recurring gift. A £17 monthly gift adds up to £204 over twelve payments. The number of patients helped cannot be calculated by dividing donations by a planning estimate; it depends on actual costs and completed care.

Can I choose a country or patient?

The programme focuses on Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia. Contact WAN before donating if you need a particular restriction so its terms can be agreed. Patient selection remains based on clinical and financial need. Personal medical records are not shared with donors.

Is sight restoration guaranteed?

No. Surgery is intended to improve vision, but results depend on the eye condition, other health factors and complications. Assessment, informed consent and follow-up belong with the treating clinical team.

Is Gift Aid available?

Gift Aid is not currently available for WAN donations. Charity Commission registration alone does not make a gift eligible: HMRC recognition and the donor and donation conditions are also required.

Where can I check evidence that donations were used?

Read the funding and impact pages for the reporting status. Programme plans, money received and completed care are different measures. Ask for the reporting period and supporting evidence before relying on a claimed number of operations.

Content updated 4 October 2026. General information; no guarantee of a clinical result. Editorial policy · Report an error

How can I help someone access eye care?

Understand the care available, explore its costs and see how a donation reaches a treatment partner.