FAQs

Do you accept donations of used spectacles?

We do not send second-hand glasses to developing countries. It’s very difficult to match the prescription of a donated pair of glasses to a beneficiary. Recycled spectacles are also often damaged or scratched, meaning they can’t be used. And because second-hand spectacles were prescribed for an individual, they can often be uncomfortable for another user, simply because they don’t fit properly.

We fund local production of glasses which are then used as an income generating scheme for our local partners, providing high quality glasses at a small cost.

Click here to find out more about why we don't accept second-hand glasses. 

Can I make a donation with cash?

We would prefer that you did not send cash through the post to us. If you do not have a bank account, then please use a postal or money order and make it payable to Sightsavers International. If you have no alternative but to send cash, please ensure you send it by Registed Post. I would also be helpful to include your name and address in order that we can acknowledge safe receipt.

Can you help specific individuals in the places you work?

Sightsavers International does not employ ophthalmologists directly and hence is unable to comment on or offer any diagnosis, or recommend treatment for eye conditions or diseases.

Can you reduce the amount of literature that you send me?

Certainly, please e-mail info@sightsavers.org or telephone 01444 446621. We will be pleased to make the necessary amendments in accordance with your instructions.

Can you send me Sightsavers News in email rather than print format?

Certainly. Please forward your request to info@sightsavers.org

Can you tell me how much of a donation is spent on administration?

Currently 74.6p out of every £1 is spent on charitable expenditure including just 1.6p on management and administration. 25.4p in every £1 is reinvested in fundraising to help finance our vital work.

Can you treat me for an eye condition I suffer from?

Our mandate does not permit us to work in the UK, and we do not have clinical teams or specialists, service delivery being carried out by our local partners. As such, we are not in a position to comment on ophthalmological practices in the UK.

Could someone come and speak to our fundraising group?

Please get in touch with us at info@sightsavers.org , and we'll see what we can do.

Do you employ eye care specialists?

As we do not send clinical teams out to the countries in which we work, or support surgical teams in country, we do not actively employ or place clinical staff. We are therefore unable to assist with requests for employment, or overseas placements.

Do you have any opportunities for voluntary workers?

We work through local organisations, or partners, rather than implementing programmes directly ourselves. Working in this way ensures that we draw on the local experience available and work to develop that experience further to promote long-term sustainability. So unfortunately we don't have any positions available overseas. Many organisations do recruit within the UK for volunteers in overseas positions and below are some websites which you may find useful: http://www.ica-uk.org.uk - ICA: UK Volunteer Service Programme http://www.vso.org.uk/ - Voluntary Services Overseas. However, gathering authenticated case studies is done on a limited basis for the purposes of communication with our donors. When UK-based programme staff make visits to Sightsavers-supported projects, they are asked to look out for stories and images that illustrate our work in a strong and positive way. Sightsavers projects are implemented through local partners, and whilst we require all our partners to report to us on an annual basis, we do not ask that they report to us on individual cases, but rather on the overall project achievements. This will of course include statistics on the numbers of people seen, screened and treated, but does not identify them. To do so would place an insupportable burden on our field staff, and inevitably lead to less time being spent on service delivery, and consequently fewer people being treated.

Do you have any Sightsavers posters / collection boxes I could exhibit at my place of work / church?

Please get in touch with us at info@sightsavers.org, and we'll be glad to supply you with something suitable.

Do you really believe that your eye care projects can really make a difference when the scale of the problem is so huge in developing countries?

It is impossible to calculate the exact number of people who have benefited from all the projects that Sightsavers has helped to establish. However, we do know that we have restored sight to approximately four and a half million people and treated more than 50 million for conditions which threaten sight. One and a half million villagers are now protected against river blindness due to the Mectizan® distribution programme we support.

How do I go about increasing / decreasing my monthly donation?

Please e-mail the details of your donation to info@sightsavers.org

I have changed email, how do I make sure you have my new address?

Please send an e-mail to info@sightsavers.org giving your old and new e-mail addresses.

I have moved house, how do I make sure you have my new address?

Please send an e-mail to info@sightsavers.org giving your old address and postcode and details of the new address and postcode you would like us to use.

What are your main objectives?

At present, 45 million people are blind, and a further 124 million have serious visual impairment. A further 100 million people will needlessly lose their sight over the next 20 years. Our aim is to prevent the tragedy of avoidable blindness. We work alongside governments and local organisations in a number of countries to provide the funding, support and expertise needed to make a lasting difference to those who are tragically going blind. The effects of this work will be seen for many lifetimes.

What is your relationship with your partners?

Sightsavers International does not implement projects directly, but works through local partner organisations. This method of working enables us to promote the establishment of appropriate, sustainable and cost-effective services in poor and underserved areas. Our partners implement the programmes and conduct service delivery, using local staff.

What makes Sightsavers different from other charities? Why should people give to you rather than, say, any other charity?

Many people support a range of charities that deal with ongoing problems. In our case, we aim to stop preventable blindness forever. If we receive the funding and support we need, we can carry on providing the treatment and support services necessary to eradicate preventable blindness. In fact, we'd like to think that, one day, we'll all be out of a job. So the gift that you make really will make an incredible difference to the world.

Where do your funds come from?

The vast majority of our support comes directly from people like you. This could be through individual or monthly gifts, a legacy or bequeast, or through fundraising events that are run by local communities. Another part of our funding comes from corporate sponsors who help us to run awareness events and draw attention to the problem of avoidable blindness.