Taking a moonshot so everyone in the world can see clearly

We are officially five years away from the ‘2030 IN SIGHT’ target the global vision community set itself in 2020: eliminate avoidable blindness and ensure universal access to eye care by 2030. We cannot afford for global instability to thwart our progress.

The Chen Yet-Sen Family Foundation continues to play its part, and I wanted to share my learnings and our progress from the year so far. I hope this demonstrates how embracing a moonshot mindset to tackle global issues will help drive us towards fulfilling the 2030 target.

Going for vision for all: IN SIGHT LIVE

Each year, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) holds IN SIGHT LIVE, bringing together global changemakers to address the world’s eye care challenges. This year’s event brought together over 1,000 professionals, policymakers and changemakers in Nepal to explore opportunities for collaboration to help us step closer to our 2030 goal.

A powerful moment came from Nepal’s Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, who affirmed vision as a central driver of human development. His message was clear: no single country can tackle this alone – cross-governmental collaboration is key.

I’m grateful to Simon Darvill for his work in making the event a success. It is an honour to act as one of the IAPB’s Global Ambassadors alongside HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO, HRH Prince Abdulaziz Ahmad Abdulaziz Al Saud and H.E. Ambassador Walton Webson.

  

An update on the DRIVE Trials: Proof that vision saves lives

IN SIGHT LIVE showed us that collaboration between policymakers and professionals in the vision community is key if eye care is to remain a priority. The DRIVE trials we help fund aim to deliver research proof that will activate developing countries to invest in vision screening and affordable eyecare.

This year, we made major progress in our STABLE (Slashing Two-wheeled Accidents by Leveraging Eyecare) trial in Vietnam. The research team is working with 600 university students to assess whether correcting vision reduces crash or near-crash incidents among motorcycle drivers.

Why Vietnam? A staggering 93% of vision impairment among young adults there is due to uncorrected myopia – a group at high risk for road accidents. Our partners at AIP Foundation have distributed glasses, conducted eye exams, and outfitted motorcycles with trackers to gather real-world safety data. We expect results next year and we believe they will help make the case for investing in vision.

What do we do next?

This was a moment to reflect on how far we’ve got and my personal work in the space – but what do we need to do next? As we approach the final stretch toward 2030, we must act boldly and collectively. Three calls to action stand out:

1. Build momentum: We’ve seen how political support can grow when voices unite – like at IN SIGHT LIVE. Now, every advocate must return home and keep pushing for policy changes that prioritise eye care.
2. Invest in evidence: Policymakers act when the case is undeniable. That’s why research like the DRIVE trials is so vital. We need diverse, global data to prove the economic and social value of universal eye care.
3. Embrace the moonshot: In a world facing political unrest and slashed foreign aid budgets, it’s tempting to play it safe. But history shows us that bold thinking, combined with perseverance, can create transformational change.

In 2017, I published Clearly: my book on how a 700-year old invention (glasses) can change the world forever. In the last few years, I’ve revisited my journey, reflecting on how a moonshot idea helped transform universal eyecare. The next edition is coming soon – and if you’re curious about learning from my approach and the story of solving uncorrected vision, it may be of interest to you.

If you’re interested in more insights, tune into my conversation with Jean-Philippe Courtois on the Positive Leadership Podcast, where we explore how to deliver high-impact programmes at scale – especially in today’s challenging environment.