HelpMeSee Urges Global Investment to Close Cataract Surgery Gap

The scale of the problem remains staggering. More than half of those requiring cataract surgery globally lack access to care, with the situation proving most acute in the World Health Organization African Region, where three in four patients go untreated. While the condition is surgically curable, the scarcity of trained professionals and regional infrastructure gaps continue to block progress.

Dr. Nicoletta Fynn-Thompson, Chief Medical Officer at HelpMeSee, argues that building lasting capacity depends on equipping local institutions with the tools to train surgeons effectively. To bridge this divide, the organization utilizes high-fidelity virtual reality simulation, allowing practitioners to master Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery in a controlled environment before operating on patients. This training model, inspired by commercial aviation standards, aims to provide high-quality outcomes at a fraction of traditional costs. As the World Health Organization consults on a new initiative to increase effective coverage by 30 percentage points by 2030, HelpMeSee is launching a weeklong forum to coordinate action among policymakers, health experts, and donors. CEO Doug May emphasized that closing the treatment gap is a collaborative necessity, requiring a unified front from governments and NGOs to ensure that surgical skills reach the communities where the need is greatest.