Peek Vision: Community and School Eye Health programmes in Africa

Peek Vision develops evidence-based smartphone technology and public health tools that help deliver more efficient, more effective and more equitable eye health programmes. By working with health providers, NGOs and governments, they use tech to bring better vision and health to everyone. 

1.1 billion people globally have a preventable or treatable vision problem, the majority are in low- and middle-income countries. Millions are being left behind without access to eye health services, especially groups such as women and girls, older people, and those in rural communities.  

Peek supports brilliant partners, including CBM Christian Blind Mission and Vision for a Nation, to break down barriers to eye care. In Africa, we work with these and many national and regional partners to deliver school and community eye health programmes in multiple countries. For example, in Botswana, the Government, represented by the Ministry of Health & Wellness and supported by the Ministry of Basic Education, is partnering with Peek to roll out a national school eye health programme to help ensure every school-going child with eye problems in the country is identified and treated. 

Peek’s clinically-validated smartphone vision test app and data capture system enables non-specialist users to screen for eye conditions and refer people to care. Real-time data allows programme managers to see gaps in services and where people are dropping out of the health system, so they can make rapid adjustments to help ensure fewer people are left behind.  

Using Peek makes eye health services more accessible in the community and reduces the need for people to travel long distances which is often a key barrier to care. As screening is carried out by non-specialists, specialist eye care workers can focus on treating those with more complex problems.  

Peek-powered programmes help to reach those who are typically left behind to connect them to treatment. Worldwide between 2013 and 2020, more than 350,000 adults and children have been screened using Peek, and over 40,000 people have received treatment in Peek-powered programmes.