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History
Started in 1966, the NOOR Eye Care programme is the largest and longest running IAM programme. Over the past four decades, in spite of frequent warfare and civil unrest, we have treated literally millions of patients needing eye care. We are now seeing more than 270,000 patients every year and performing more than 15,000 sight-saving surgeries annually.
In addition to clinical care we have a very strong commitment to the training of eye care professionals. In fact, almost all eye care professionals working in Afghanistan have been trained at NOOR eye care centers. The name NOOR comes from the Persian word for "light" and is representative of what we are trying to do: bring light to the eyes of the people of Afghanistan.
 Partnership with Standard
Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank is the official sponsor of the NOOR eye care program. Their 'Seeing is Believing' program aims to restore sight to one million people worldwide. Since IAM is the leading agency in providing ophthalmic care in Afghanistan, Standard Chartered has selected us as their partner. The funds they collect will go toward sight-saving cataract operations, training of eye doctors, building of training facilities, and vision centers. The Seeing is Believing program matches your contribution dollar for dollar (please note that only donations made in person at the Standard Chartered Bank in Kabul will be matched at this point). For details please refer to their website: www.standardchartered.com/ourbeliefs
Government Partnership
The NOOR program, as do all IAM programs, works in partnership with the various Government Ministries. In particular, NOOR works closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Higher Education in providing quality eye care services and training eye care professionals.
The Future
Though we have worked hard and achieved much since 1966, the prolonged years of war and civil unrest caused extensive damage to most health care facilities. Many of the well trained and educated people fled the country in the previous years and there is still a shortage of trained eye care professionals. With the prevalence of blindness in Afghanistan estimated at over 1.5% (405,000 people) there is still much to be done. (The leading causes of blindness are Cataract, Glaucoma, Trachoma, Trauma and Vitamin A deficiency). The encouraging aspect in this is that at least 75% of the current blindness is preventable.
In 2004, the Ministry of Public Health and CBM sponsored the official launching of Vision 2020 in Afghanistan. An ambitious five year plan was approved and NOOR is seeking to help support that plan. It calls for a strong push to increase in all aspects of eye care: curative and preventative services, as well as in the training of additional eye care professionals. This is a strong challenge and we are working to do our part in seeing that challenge met. However to fully implement and meet the goals of the plan, additional partners and new finances need to be found. If you would want to be part of helping prevent blindness in Afghanistan, whether in contributing finances or in coming to work here, please contact us for more information.
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