New Eye Care Centers Established to Reduce Blindness Rates

Kenya is ramping up its fight against avoidable blindness with the establishment of several new eye care centres and units, a move health officials say could transform vision care access across the country. As part of the Vision Impact Project (VIP), high‑end eye units have been constructed in partnership with county governments, reaching counties such as Kajiado, Meru, Embu, Kiambu, Kwale, Bomet, and Vihiga. In Nairobi, the first-ever public eye hospital will open at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital (Umoja Annex), offering surgical eye services, lens replacement, and treatment of complex eye conditions.
In Machakos County, the government has partnered with the NGO Sight Savers to launch a free eye medical camp that covers sub-counties through outreach and aims to establish a 24‑hour eye clinic at Machakos Referral Hospital. The new facility will provide free consultations, spectacles, and essential eye medicines — helping tackle preventable visual impairment at the grassroots.
Innovative approaches are also underway: in West Pokot County, a collaboration between the Fred Hollows Foundation and Peek Vision is using smartphone-based screening tools to detect eye disease in remote communities. The system sends messages to patients who need follow-up, improving appointment adherence and closing gaps in care. Meanwhile, in Samburu, community health volunteers have been trained to spot early signs of eye disease and refer patients — ensuring that even remote villages benefit from the expanded eye care network.
Development partners are urging further investment in screening and infrastructure to sustain this momentum. According to the Kenya Society for the Blind, scaling up vision centres, strengthening referral pathways, and building capacity in eye health are critical to prevent blindness on a national scale. Igreja and health leaders hope that, with these new centres, Kenya will significantly reduce avoidable vision loss and move closer to a future where no one loses their sight for lack of access.