HCP Cureblindness Acquires SightLife International

HCP Cureblindness has announced the acquisition of SightLife International, the global division of the SightLife organization. The integration of systems, programs, and brand will take place over the next 12 months.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

HCP Cureblindness and SightLife International, both eye health nonprofits, have collaborated on multiple projects in clinical training, eye bank development, advocacy and prevention in Nepal and Ethiopia for 13 years.

“Together, our respective expertise will have a substantial and long-term impact on the world’s most underserved communities, helping to enable local eye care access for the future,” HCP Cureblindness CEO K-T Overbey said in a company news release. “Building on our shared commitment to training, while also combining HCP Cureblindness’ deep expertise in specialized care delivery and infrastructure development with SightLife International’s expertise in primary care and policy and advocacy, we will ensure millions of men, women, and children across Asia and Africa have access to the eye care they need to thrive.”

According to HCP Cureblindness, the two organizations can work towards the mission of eliminating blindness due to cataracts and corneal blindness globally by combining the regions in which they each serve.

HCP Cureblindness, which was established in 1995, focuses on training local personnel and bringing eye care to people in underserved areas of the world. With a network of implementing partners in over 20 countries, the organization has provided over 1.19 million sight-restoring surgeries, 13.3 million screenings and basic treatments, trained over 19,000 eye health professionals, and established 5 eye hospitals.

SightLife International, launched in 2009, adopts a health systems approach to tackle the disparities that contribute to and sustain corneal blindness globally. Through partnerships, SightLife International has been instrumental in restoring sight and preventing blindness for more than 225,000 individuals globally and providing clinical training for over 7,000 healthcare providers.

In August 2022, SightLife merged with the Lions Eye Institute for Transplant and Research (LEITR), becoming the world's largest combined nonprofit eye bank and research institute. HCP Cureblindness reports that SightLife International and they will explore opportunities to collaborate with SightLife US and LEITR to provide technical training for eye bank personnel and surgeons globally, as well as supply corneal tissue to regions where eye bank development is unfeasible.

HCP Cureblindness and SightLife International will actively seek additional opportunities to bring their committed partners and surgeon community together to further advance their collaborative efforts.