Our Work in Canada

Operation Eyesight is a registered charity in Canada. We were founded in Calgary in 1963, and for more than six decades, we have worked to prevent blindness and restore sight, primarily in South Asia and specific regions of Africa. Thanks to the support of our donors and partners in Canada and around the world, our international development organization has grown to become a leader in the eye health sector.

The global need for eye care services has also grown; nearly everyone on the planet will experience an eye health issue in their lifetime. As a longstanding and nimble organization, we have been adapting to best meet the eye health needs of our global community. Of course, with our ‘global but local approach’ that means we are adapting to meet the needs of local communities as well – including communities in Canada.

While Canada is considered a high-income country with a developed public healthcare system, economic security and access to eye health services are not equal across all communities. Gaps exist within the systems of delivery of eye health services that affect some groups disproportionately, and socio-economic and geographic barriers contribute to inequities that lead to needless vision loss, impairment and blindness. We want to make it easier for medically underserved people, families and communities in Canada to get access to the eye health care they need. We also want to show how important your eyes are, so that everyone feels empowered to look after their own eye health. That is why we are in the process of developing our programs in Canada.

Over the past few years, we have been listening and learning. We have been building relationships with and listening to medically underserved communities in Canada. We have been building capacity within our team to not only do this but do it in a good way. This process of learning and listening to understand the unique needs of communities has played a key role in creating our Canada Program Strategy. Like all of our international programs, our programs in Canada will be evidence-based and informed by the lived experience and input of communities we work with.

Vision loss in Canada

• The leading causes of avoidable blindness are refractive error and cataract, in that order. Other causes include glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
  Other causes include glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
• 75 per cent of all vision loss and blindness can be prevented or treated if intervened¹
• 57 per cent of Canadians have some type of refractive error²; approximately 30 per cent of Canadians are myopic (nearsighted³)
• Over eight million Canadians have treatable and preventable eye diseases that can cause partial/total vision loss⁴
• In 2019, the cost of vision loss in Canada was estimated to be $32.9 billion, split between financial costs and the cost of lost well-being⁴

Here is what our journey has looked like so far

2021

• Launch of a Mobile Optometry Clinic pilot project in Calgary through partnerships with Evolutioneyes and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, serving the Calgary Drop-In Centre and The Alex Health Centre

2022

• Mobile outreach with Evolutioneyes continues with services at Peter Coyle Place, Calgary
• Consultations with provincial health ministers, academic researchers, eye health professionals, and the First Nations and Inuit Health Board, to better understand health inequities in Canada
• Bill C-284, an Act to establish a national strategy for eye care, is introduced by MP Judy Sgro in June
• In November, Operation Eyesight joins OneSight EssilorLuxottica and other like-minded organizations on Parliament Hill to advocate for a National Eye Health Strategy

2023

• Mobile eye exams continue through our Evolutioneyes partnership at various service sites in and around Calgary
• The Calgary Foundation provides funding in support of our pilot initiatives to advance Indigenous eye health programs in Calgary and build the capacity of our team to better engage with Indigenous Peoples. An Indigenous Advisory Council is established.
• Discussions begin with Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission to pilot a school-based eye health program for the students of the Plains Cree First Nations of Maskwacîs, Alberta.  This leads to a partnership with the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation.

2024

• The Calgary Foundation continues supporting Mobile Optometry Clinics that serve Peter Coyle Place, The Maple Program, Alpha House and Eden Valley’s Chief Jacobs’ Bearspaw School (Alberta)
• Towards the end of the year, the Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission provides 650 vision screenings for elementary school students to identify those needing comprehensive eye exams
• Bill C-284, the National Strategy for Eye Care Act, is passed by the federal government. We release a statement to show our support.

2025

• Operation Eyesight, the Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission (MESC) and the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation hold a week-long vision clinic in Maskwacîs, providing comprehensive eye exams and prescription eyeglasses for students, Elders and MESC staff.
• The Canadian Eye Health Coalition is formed, with Operation Eyesight’s Global Director – International Programs as chair. The network of organizations and individuals continues to work together to inform the national framework for eye care and advocate for improved vision care for all Canadians.
• Operation Eyesight’s Canada Program Strategy is formally approved for launch, and work is underway to develop full-fledged programs alongside communities and local partners
  

How you can help

For more information about our programs in Canada and how you can help, contact Kris Kelm, Global Director – International Programs at KelmK@operationeyesight.com

Eye health resources for parents and children

FREE Resources For Parents

Vision coverage in Canada

We know that navigating eye care in Canada can be confusing, which is why we have compiled a list of resources for those wanting to learn more about what is covered in their province/territory. Click here to learn more.

Footnotes

1. CAO Eye Health Statistics 
2. Perruccio AV, Badley EM, Trope GE. A Canadian population-based study of vision problems: assessing the significance of socioeconomic status. Can J Ophthalmol. 2010 Oct;45(5):477-83. doi: 10.3129/i10-061. PMID: 20729934
3. CAO Policy and Advocacy POSITION STATEMENT
4. The Cost of Vision Loss and Blindness in Canada

• Launch school eye health programs to ensure children have the tools and the vision they need to succeed in class
• Partner with Indigenous communities to help them lead eye health initiatives and improve access to eye care
• Continue to work together with the Canadian Eye Health Coalition to inform the national framework for eye care and advocate for improved vision health for all Canadians