11 Publications, One Shared Goal: Advancing Eye Care Through Research
Research is an essential part of creating lasting change in global eye care. At Cure Blindness Project, we support research that addresses real-world challenges faced by patients and eye care providers in the countries where we work. Today, we’re celebrating an important milestone: 11 Cure Blindness Project-supported recent research studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals.
This milestone represents more than a number. Each publication adds evidence, knowledge, and locally relevant insights that can help strengthen how eye care is delivered.
Our research partners are investigating questions that directly affect patients and health systems—from understanding barriers to cataract surgery and improving the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic eye disease to studying childhood blindness, corneal health, ocular tumors, and the availability of eye care professionals. Recent publications have included research from Ethiopia, Ghana, Nepal, and other countries where access to quality eye care remains a significant challenge.
One example is research examining the use of Health Extension Workers to identify childhood blindness in rural Ethiopia. Another study explored the use of optical coherence tomography to manage diabetic macular edema in sub-Saharan Africa, while research in Nepal examined ocular surface tumors in children and approaches that may improve diagnosis.
These studies demonstrate why research must be rooted in local realities. Solutions developed in one setting may not always translate directly to another. Supporting researchers where care is being delivered helps generate evidence that is relevant to the patients, providers, and health systems we aim to serve.
Cure Blindness Project has supported research for nearly 25 years, and our commitment continues to grow. In 2025, the organization awarded 13 research grants to investigators in Nepal, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, selected from 107 applications representing 10 countries. This year, Cure Blindness Project awarded six research grants.
Ultimately, research is another way we build capacity. By supporting clinicians and emerging researchers, we help expand the global body of knowledge while giving local experts opportunities to ask important questions, test new approaches, and share their findings with the broader ophthalmic community.
Search published research at www.cureblindness.org/research.
