Peek Vision connects one million to eye care

Peek Vision has recognised a new milestone of connecting one million people to eye care through its technology.

Peek Vision’s software and data intelligence platform, including a vision testing app, is used in eye health programmes delivered by partner organisations.

Marking the milestone, the social enterprise has published a new impact report: Making the invisible, visible: One million people connected to sight.

In an introduction to the report, Professor Andrew Bastawrous, CEO and co-founder of Peek Vision, described how the Peek smartphone technology for screenings was motivated by a “huge unmet need” witnessed in 2012.

He explained: “12 years later, that idea has grown into Peek, a tool embraced and nurtured by organisations like CBM Christian Blind Mission, the Kenyan Government, and many others.”

Partner organisations have screened more than 10 million people using Peek and connected one million people to care across 12 countries in Africa and Asia.

Peek Vision explained that ‘connected to care’ means a person with an eye health issue has been screened and treated on-site or referred to specialists and attended all appointments for more complex issues. Most people receive glasses, cataract surgery, or medication.

Eye health programmes use Peek’s clinically validated app for screening, with patients then triaged for further treatment or referral.

Patients receive text message reminders for appointments, and this programme data supports service providers in targeting key issues to improve attendance.

The data-powered insights support service providers to make better use of resources, minimise unnecessary referrals and ensure that nobody is left behind, the social enterprise noted.

Peek Vision recognised the role of partnerships in its growth, thanking supporters and celebrating partners who have embraced the technology.

Bastawrous reflected: “What our partners and team have accomplished is fantastic, but we are just getting started.”

He highlighted that by 2050, the number of people with vision loss is expected to nearly double to 1.8 billion.

The report stated that Peek Vision is trialling new tools and approaches that have the potential to make “transformative changes and hugely increase the number of people who can access quality eye care.”

We’ve seen an exponential rise in the number of people being screened and connected to care using Peek

Farhana Rehman-Furs, head of global partnerships for Peek Vision, told OT: “We’re delighted to be celebrating that our NGO, Government, and eye hospital partners have connected one million people to eye care using Peek.”

Sharing a personal reflection of the difference the technology had made, she said: “I joined Peek in 2018, just before the first fully Peek-powered programme launched in Pakistan, led by CBM Christian Blind Mission. Since then, we’ve seen an exponential rise in the number of people being screened and connected to care using Peek, up to today where we’re working across 12 different countries with multiple partners.”

While a major milestone, Rehman-Furs recognised that this is also “just a beginning – there’s so much more to do.”

“Our platform enables our partners to do something that isn’t typically possible for most eye health services. It means they can monitor patient journeys from screening to treatment, and access insights on who is – and isn’t – attending appointments,” she explained.

“This can help eye health services make big efficiency and effectiveness gains, even with the limited resources so many services operate with. It also means they can identify who is being left behind, which is really important in making sure that eye health is truly equitable,” she concluded.