##  [World Sight Day 2020](/news/world-sight-day-2020 "World Sight Day 2020") 

 Learn how we’re working with partners like the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness to eliminate preventable blindness.

 

 Oct 08, 2020 

2.2 billion people are blind or visually impaired worldwide. Half of them lack access to eye care. Together, we are working to change that. This World Sight Day, Novartis is proud to partner with the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) to expand equitable access to eye care in remote communities with the initiation of early detection eye health screening programs.

  
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The first of these screenings programs will run in southeast Asia countries including Philippines and Vietnam and will consist of education and online referral initiatives as well as home screening tools to enable early detection and facilitate timely medical consultation. The aim is to educate and screen more than 1.5 million people across these countries.

## Meet a Rwandan visionary

 ![Portrait of Dr. Tuyisabe](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-07/dr-tuyisabe-portrait-image.jpg.webp?itok=LKoWGio0 "Portrait of Dr. Tuyisabe")

 

Dr. Theophile Tuyisabe is one of only 18 ophthalmologists in Rwanda. We spoke with him about his vision for more equitable eye care for all.

[Learn More](/stories/meet-visionary-who-beat-odds-realize-his-vision-inclusive-eye-care "Meet a visionary who beat the odds to realize his vision of inclusive eye care")

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## Realize your vision. Save theirs.

 ![Group of patients and HCPs](/sites/novartis_com/files/styles/crop_freeform/public/2021-07/wsd-2020-group-of-patients-hcps-image.jpg.webp?itok=TX50Th1y "Group of patients and HCPs")

 

Want to make a serious difference in the fight against preventable blindness? Apply now to win an eXcellence in Ophthalmology Vision Award (XOVA).

[Learn More](https://www.xova.novartis.com/)

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###  Additional resources 

### Social visionary

Meet a social visionary whose vision for better vision care of newborn infants and their families has raised standards of care for babies with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

[Read More](/stories/visionary-silke-mader-has-vision-care-premature-infants-and-their-parents "Visionary: Silke Mader has a vision for the care of premature infants and their parents")

### Lessons from a blind chef

A celebrity chef who lost her vision at age 20 speaks up about why we can and must raise awareness of the everyday challenges faced by visually impaired people.

[Read More](/stories/lessons-from-blind-chef "Lessons from a blind chef")

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