IAM’s NOOR Eye Care Program has been providing eye care to the people of Afghanistan since 1966, and provides the majority of eye care in the country. “NOOR” means light in Persian, and it reflects our goal of bringing light to those who live in the darkness of preventable blindness.

The NOOR program is involved in all levels of eye care and includes a strong training component. In 2011 NOOR Hospitals saw 124,000 patients (140,000 patients were seen at government eye hospitals supported by NOOR), performed 6,600 surgeries, trained four resident doctors (of whom one graduated as an ophthalmologist), 20 ophthalmic technicians, produced 385,000 bottles of eye drops, and manufactured nearly 26,000 pairs of eye glasses.

Although cost recovery has been an important step in achieving sustainability, NOOR has a clear focus on providing eye care to all who need it, regardless of ability to pay. In the coming year our goals are to increase the availability of primary, secondary, and tertiary eye care throughout all regions of Afghanistan; to provide affordable, high quality ophthalmic medications and eyeglasses for IAM and other eye care providers; to train ophthalmic care providers at all levels; to reach a higher level of technical and financial sustainability; and to support the goals of the Vision 20/20 initiative.

IAM NOOR is grateful for the support given by CBM, Charis International, Islamic Relief, Lakarmissionen, Light for the World, Mennonite Central Committee, Prisma Alliance, République and Canton de Genève. We are also thankful for the many private donors who have supported the program in the past year.