On October 24, more than 200 supporters, including volunteer ophthalmologists from across the country and the developing world, gathered at the Hilton SB Beachfront Resort to celebrate SEE International’s 50th anniversary and the 750,000 vision restoration operations performed in 54 countries.

Based in Goleta, SEE International keeps a low profile (its last gala was 10 years ago), preferring to focus on its transformative work performing cataract surgery in developing countries. Its 650 volunteer doctors perform surgeries in clinics that last from a few days to a few weeks, with 100 surgeries performed during the average clinic.

Generous volunteer doctors not only donate their time and expertise, but also pay their own travel expenses to work alongside other volunteer doctors in the host country, allowing SEE to maximize the impact of donor dollars. With this brilliant formula, which also includes a combination of donated and thoughtfully supplied medical supplies, SEE turns every $100 donated into the gift of sight for a blind person.

SEE performs many types of procedures, but 95 percent of its work is cataract removal. This month alone, SEE will hold clinics in Jamaica, Honduras, Peru, Belize, Bolivia, Philippines, Guatemala, Eswatini and Tanzania. Last year, SEE doctors performed more than 55,000 surgeries.

SEE also conducts training courses with volunteer medical instructors, training medical professionals from developed and developing countries in the surgical technique used in the field. This 15-minute procedure, manual small-incision cataract surgery, requires no fancy equipment. Last year SEE trained 240 medical professionals.

Guests at the event enjoyed a rooftop reception followed by dinner in a ballroom. CEO Donald Bell welcomed the guests and, after acknowledging the immense struggle faced by blind individuals, moved on to the economic implications of their condition – that sight loss extends the cycle of poverty by excluding adults from the workforce when they are blind or when their children are blind and become caregivers.

Bell highlighted the EEA’s investment in training and capacity building in developing countries to create lasting change. Since 2006, it has trained more than 1,200 ophthalmologists.

Guests heard from some of the EEA’s extraordinary humanitarian doctors. Dr. Helena Ndume explained how, over the past 27 years, the National Program for the Prevention of Blindness, which she runs in her country, Namibia, has restored the sight of more than 50,000 people through the camps she runs with the support of the EEA.

Nduma reported that “in our developing world, sight can often be the difference between survival and starvation. Without their sight, people cannot work to support themselves or their families.” She shared the moving story of restoring the sight of a woman who gave birth six months early, watching the woman come out of surgery and see her baby for the first time.

Board member Dr. Jeffrey Levenson told how he became a passionate volunteer after suffering vision loss from cataracts and then regaining his sight. “Right now, there are millions of people around the world who have lost their independence, the ability to support themselves and their families, the ability to do the things they love, because they live with cataracts, a condition that it only lasts 15 years. minutes to heal. So, I knew I would never sleep peacefully again until I paid my own gift first.” Levenson has done clinics with SEE in several countries, and each trip instills “a deeper love and passion for the work.”

Dr. Rajesh Saini explained how his hospital in India, Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital, is benefiting from the SEE Direct Supply program, which receives the necessary supplies, allowing it to increase the number of sight-restoring surgeries it performs perform at over 26,000. last year. The supplies, some of which are donated by Alcon, are also being provided to partners in Nepal, Namibia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and soon the Philippines.

SEE also serves the local community with a program in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties that provides eye exams and glasses at no cost. It also has a limited surgical referral program. Although Medi-Cal covers exams and glasses for low-income Californians, including the now undocumented, many people are reluctant to sign up and, according to SEE, there is a shortage of providers who accept Medi-Cal patients, creating a significant need for local level for the services provided by SEE. This year, the program is on track to serve 6,000 patients.

Board member Dr. Madhavi Reddy, an amazing SEE volunteer ophthalmologist for the past 20 years, acknowledged SEE’s achievements but noted that there are still around 40 million blind people in the world. So, she asked, “should we just keep dropping her or is it time to use some dynamite?” She revealed the EEA’s bold expansion plans, if funding allows – sponsoring subspecialty training for doctors in developing countries, expanding its supply program, increasing its roster of volunteer doctors providing training and expanding its in-house program.

Among those honored were the Sansum Clinic for its generous donation of several types of surgical services and Santa Barbara ophthalmologist Dr. Michael Paveloff for his services both locally and internationally.