Royal visit to IAPB eyecare projects
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, with eyecare workers in Peru
Eye health projects in Peru and Belize recently welcomed Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, a global ambassador for the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).
The trip highlighted the need for accessible, equitable eyecare and celebrated organisations and individuals across the Americas working to prevent avoidable blindness and vision loss.
The Duchess visited the Asociación Civil Divino Niño in Lima, Peru, to learn about its work protecting and restoring sight among vulnerable and low-income populations. Providing social and eye health services for more than 25 years, Divino Niño is a cornerstone of community-based eyecare.
She also watched glaucoma screening and treatment in action, meeting ophthalmologists and patients to better understand the importance of early detection and long-term management of this leading cause of irreversible blindness.
The Duchess then travelled to the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (BCVI), where she saw the work being done to address diabetic retinopathy, an increasing challenge across the country. She heard about the barriers women and girls face in accessing eyecare.
Clinicians, community health workers and patients explained how local innovation, international partnership and sustained investment are transforming access to sight-saving care.
IAPB chief executive, Peter Holland, said: “Her Royal Highness’s visit has brought awareness to the vital work being carried out across the Americas to tackle avoidable vision loss. In Peru and Belize, local organisations are demonstrating how community-based solutions, strong leadership and gender-inclusive approaches can deliver real change.
“This visit underscores the importance of collaboration in achieving our global 2030 In Sight goal, a world where everyone, everywhere has access to affordable, quality eyecare.”
Across both countries, access to comprehensive, equitable eyecare remains uneven, particularly for women, rural populations and those on lower incomes. The IAPB Vision Atlas reports that Peru faces one of the highest rates of visual impairment in the Andean region, and investment in eye health interventions in the country would deliver £1.836 billion in economic benefits.
In Belize, diabetic retinopathy is an emerging public health concern, with early screening and treatment proving essential to prevent sight loss. Eye health investment would address rising rates of diabetic retinopathy and inject over £6.82 million from economic benefits such as learning, wellbeing, traffic safety and employment.
The IAPB brings together nearly 300 eye health organisations in over 100 countries, including eye health professionals, private and public eye health service providers, universities and charitable organisations. Find out more at www.iapb.org