Mission and History

Mission Statement
The Combat Blindness Foundation (CBF) is a non-profit health organization dedicated to eradicating preventable blindness in the developing world.

History
Dr. Suresh Chandra, Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, founded The Combat Blindness Foundation in 1984. After years of traveling to India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Kenya to lecture and demonstrate high technology retinal and vitreous surgery, Dr. Chandra realized this high-tech surgery was not the answer to the overwhelming blindness that existed in India.  He learned that the major cause of blindness in all developing countries was a result of cataracts in adults and vitamin A deficiency (xerophthalmia) in children.  Through this experience and the help of single donor, The Combat Blindness Foundation was formed.

Today, community leaders in Madison serve as the Board of Directors, and renowned ophthalmologists from around the world serve on the Advisory Board of the Foundation. In the last 25 years, CBF has sponsored over 3,000 eye screening projects in developing countries, screened over 650,000 patients, funded over 130,000 free cataract surgeries and helped more than 30,000 children suffering from malnutrition and Vitamin A deficiency.  Most of CBF’s work has been done in collaboration with Aravind Eye Hospital, King George's Medical College, LV Prasad Eye Hospital, Sitapur Eye Hospital and Dr. Shroff Charity Eye Hospital located in India.  Other projects have been supported in India, Kenya, the Philippines, Vietnam, Gambia and Paraguay. CBF is also a member of Vision 2020: The Right to Sight, a global joint initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). 

Local Service
The Combat Blindness Foundation works closely within their local community.  In a partnership with Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and StyleEyes Optical at UW Health, CBF sponsors a free community eye care clinic each month.