"Every case of corneal blindness prevented holds significant potential for positive social impact," says David Green, president and CEO of KeraLink International, which used to be the world's largest provider of sight-restoring ocular tissue.
Now it's on a mission to eliminate corneal blindness in low- and middle-income countries.
In a press release, the Baltimore nonprofit says it's "the only organization in the world solely committed to eradicating corneal blindness in LMICs."
In the US, untreated corneal blindness is "essentially a condition of the past," says Douglas J.
Furlong, KLI's board chairman.
"However, in LMICs, preventive measures are not as accessible, quality eye care is often scarce, and infrastructure to support corneal transplantation is lacking."
keratitis, the leading cause of corneal blindness, affects 12.7 million children and adults and threatens tens of millions more, even though it is preventable, treatable, and reversible.
"We aim to protect and restore the vision of millions of children and adults who suffer needlessly from corneal conditions, including blindness," Furlong says.
"This goal, however, will only be fully realized with the financial support of donors and investors."
To that end, KLI has launched the International Keratitis Initiative
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