SEE International
SEE International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Goleta, California, that delivers free sight-restoring surgeries and eyecare to underserved populations across 50+ countries through volunteer ophthalmologists, MSICS training, and direct medical supply programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersGoleta, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What SEE International does
SEE International, legally Surgical Eye Expeditions International, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in 1974 by Dr. Harry Brown and headquartered in Goleta, California. Its mission is to address preventable blindness through free sight-restoring surgeries and eyecare services for populations without access due to economic or geographic constraints. SEE runs four core programs: (1) international short-term surgical clinics in 50+ developing countries delivered with a network of 650+ volunteer ophthalmologists from 80+ countries; (2) SEE Vision Care, a domestic program of five free clinics and mobile vision units serving uninsured and underinsured patients across Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties; (3) Global Education and MSICS training, which has delivered 169 Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery courses and trained 1,220+ eyecare professionals since 2006; and (4) Direct Supply Support, which ships intraocular lenses and medical supplies to partner hospitals in India, Nepal, Namibia, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.
The organization's underlying technology centers on MSICS, a low-cost cataract surgical technique reportedly achievable at approximately $25 per case in some regions and executable in roughly 10 minutes per procedure, making it suited to advanced blinding cataracts in resource-limited settings. SEE has accumulated 5.2 million+ lifetime patients served and 834,000+ surgeries performed, with 178,700+ additional surgeries enabled since 2016 through Direct Supply Support and 95,500+ underserved individuals served through SEE Vision Care. SEE holds a Charity Navigator 100/100 score, Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency, and BBB Accredited Charity status.
SEE's revenue model is donation-driven: over 80% of funding comes from individual donors (one-time, recurring "Champions of Sight," stock, IRA), supplemented by corporate sponsorships (notably Alcon Foundation), foundation grants (including Women's Fund of Santa Barbara), employer matching, and donor-advised funds. Go-to-market is hybrid: invitation-only international clinics coordinated with in-country health officials, community-led clinician engagement via the SEE Global Network membership platform, and direct-to-patient free clinics domestically. Customers in the for-profit sense do not exist; "customers" are patients served plus grant-making institutions. SEE has no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional investment ownership.
SEE International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SEE International
- Legal name
- Surgical Eye Expeditions International
- Website
- https://seeintl.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SEE International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Goleta, California, that delivers free sight-restoring surgeries and eyecare to underserved populations across 50+ countries through volunteer ophthalmologists, MSICS training, and direct medical supply programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SEE International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Eyecare
- NAICS
- Offices of Optometrists (62132), Offices of Physicians (62111)
- SIC
- Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB)
Keywords
Where SEE International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Goleta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
SEE International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donations are the backbone of SEE's efforts. Over 80% of funding comes from individual donors. SEE accepts various donation types including one-time donations, monthly recurring donations (Champions of Sight), stock donations, and IRA charitable distributions.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners provide funding, sponsorships, volunteers, and in-kind support through corporate sponsorship programs to help SEE operate its programs.
- Foundation Grants: Foundations support SEE through grant funding targeted at addressing key issues or aiding certain geographic regions.
- Employer Matching: Many companies match employee or retiree donations to SEE, doubling the impact of contributions.
- Donor Advised Funds (DAF): DAF investment donations provide immediate tax benefits while supporting SEE's eyecare programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free eyecare services for all patients |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels13 records
SEE International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SEE International provides free sight-restoring eye surgeries and comprehensive eyecare services to underserved populations through international short-term medical clinics, local SEE Vision Care clinics across multiple California counties, the MSICS surgical training program for ophthalmologists, and the Direct Supply Support program that ships intraocular lenses and supplies to partner clinics worldwide. All services are delivered at no cost to patients by a network of over 650 volunteer ophthalmologists from more than 80 countries.
Product overview
SEE International operates as a humanitarian nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of four interconnected eyecare programs. The core offerings include Vision Clinics in Developing Countries (international surgical missions), SEE Vision Care (free local eyecare clinics across multiple California counties), Global Education & MSICS Training (surgical education courses), and Direct Supply Support (medical supply distribution). Supporting these programs is a Medical Resource Library for training content and the SEE Global Network membership platform for volunteer coordination.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SEE Vision Care (SVC): A program dedicated to providing eyecare to individuals who may not otherwise have access to these services in the local Santa Barbara community, previously known as Santa Barbara Vision Care (SBVC). Provides free comprehensive vision care services including eyecare screenings, comprehensive eye exams, and prescription glasses.
- SEE Global Network (SGN)
- Direct Supply Support (DSS)
Products and services
- Vision Clinics in Developing Countries International short-term surgical clinics in over 40 developing countries annually where SEE volunteer ophthalmologists work alongside local doctors and health officials to provide free sight-restoring surgeries to individuals blinded by treatable eye conditions.
- SEE Vision Care (SVC) A local community eyecare program providing free comprehensive eye exams, prescription glasses, and sight-restoring surgeries to underserved individuals in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, with five clinic locations including Goleta, Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, and Lompoc.
- Global Education & MSICS Training Educational program offering Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS) training courses to ophthalmologists and medical residents worldwide, including Level 1 didactic/wet-lab courses and Level 2 international hands-on training, plus Travel to Teach programs at partner institutions.
- Direct Supply Support (DSS) Supply chain program that provides necessary medical supplies such as intraocular lenses (IOLs) to trusted international partners in India, Nepal, Namibia, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to support year-round vision care services independent of SEE's clinical trips.
Companies that use SEE International
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SEE International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SEE International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Women's Fund of Santa BarbaracoreWomen's Fund of Santa Barbara provides grant funding that has helped strengthen SEE's local SEE Vision Care Program by supporting salaries and benefits for clinic and Mobile Vision Unit staff, transportation and maintenance costs, and essential supplies.
- Lions Clubs International FoundationcoreLions Clubs International Foundation partners with Johnson & Johnson's MedTech donations initiative, which includes support for vision care programs. The foundation works to expand access to vision care by equipping health workers with tools, training, and sustained support in under-resourced communities.
- Operation SmilecoreOperation Smile is a partner organization focused on providing surgical care. They partner with Johnson & Johnson's MedTech donations initiative which supports vision care programs globally.
- American Heart AssociationminorAmerican Heart Association is mentioned as a partner in Johnson & Johnson's broader health access programs alongside vision care initiatives.
- Global Surgery FoundationcoreGlobal Surgery Foundation partners with healthcare organizations to scale healthcare access programs globally, including vision care initiatives.
- Greater Goleta Santa Barbara Lions ClubcoreThe Greater Goleta Santa Barbara Lions Club made a $100,000 endowed investment in SEE Vision Care program to support local eyecare services in the community.
- Alcon FoundationcoreAlcon Foundation provides funding, sponsorships, and in-kind support as a corporate partner to help SEE operate its programs and serve the local community.
- Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLAcoreDr. Harry Brown completed his residency at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA. This relationship represents the educational foundation for SEE's medical programs.
- Glaukos CorporationcoreGlaukos Corporation partners with SEE to treat glaucoma and train doctors across the globe in the iStent microsurgical technique for treating glaucoma.
- Casa de la RazaminorSEE partnered with Casa de la Raza to deliver essential vision screenings and resources directly to underserved communities.
- Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital (SGLEH)coreSEE partners with SGLEH in India for MSICS Level 2 training courses and international clinic programs.
- Instituto Mexicano de Oftalmología (IMO)coreIMO in Querétaro, Mexico partners with SEE for MSICS Level 2 training courses and international clinic programs.
- Centro Medico San Benito Jose (ACE Global)coreACE Global in Honduras partners with SEE for multiple MSICS Level 2 training courses throughout the year.
- Dr. Helena NdumecoreWorld-renowned volunteer ophthalmologist Dr. Helena Ndume is a longtime partner, collaborating with SEE at Engela State Hospital in Namibia for sight-restoring programs.
- PeaceHealth (PazSalud)corePeaceHealth's PazSalud program has partnered with SEE since 2001, serving the people of El Salvador through collaborative medical missions.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SEE International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- VisionSpring: Nonprofit social enterprise that delivers affordable reading and prescription glasses to low-income populations through partnerships and last-mile distribution. Overlaps with SEE's refractive-error and underserved-customer segments but focuses on eyewear access rather than surgery or physician-led clinical care.
Direct peers
- Orbis International: Global nonprofit that fights avoidable blindness through a volunteer ophthalmologist model, the Flying Eye Hospital, and training partnerships with local hospitals. Orbis is the closest direct peer to SEE International in mission (sight restoration), delivery model (short-term surgical missions plus long-term capacity-building training), and patient population (underserved populations in low- and middle-income countries).
- Sightsavers: Large international NGO working in over 30 countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and support people with visual impairments through surgery, treatment, and training. Comparable to SEE in mission, geographic reach, and donor-funded nonprofit structure, with somewhat greater emphasis on disease-specific programs (e.g., trachoma, onchocerciasis).
- Operation Eyesight Universal: Canada-based international development organization focused on preventing blindness and restoring sight, primarily through partnerships with local hospitals and investment in community eye health. Highly comparable to SEE on target population, mission, and emphasis on sustainable, in-country capacity-building rather than one-off missions.
- RestoringVision: Global nonprofit that distributes reading glasses and sunglasses to people in need across 90+ countries via a partner-distribution model. Comparable to SEE in donor-funded eyecare-for-underserved mission, with a more product-distribution orientation and less surgical emphasis.
- CureBlindness (Himalayan Cataract Project): Nonprofit focused on eradicating preventable blindness, particularly cataracts, via high-volume outreach microsurgery and training of local ophthalmologists in techniques including MSICS. It overlaps directly with SEE's MSICS training focus, international clinic model, and cataract-centric surgical delivery, making it one of the most comparable peers on operation and methodology.
- OneSight: Nonprofit founded by Luxottica that operates vision centers and charitable clinics providing free eye exams and glasses to underserved populations in North America and abroad. Directly comparable to SEE Vision Care's domestic free eyecare-and-eyewear delivery model and to SEE's international clinic cadence through outreach activations.
Others
- Warby Parker: Vertically integrated eyewear retailer that operates a 'Buy a Pair, Give a Pair' social impact program distributing glasses through nonprofit partners to underserved populations worldwide. The giving program overlaps thematically with SEE's mission of expanding vision access, though Warby Parker is fundamentally a commercial retailer rather than a clinical-care provider.
Broad incumbents
- Aravind Eye Care System: India-based high-volume eye-care delivery system operating hospitals, vision centers, and outreach programs at scale with a cross-subsidy model treating paying and non-paying patients. Comparable to SEE in cataract surgery focus and outreach methodology, but operates a much larger, hybrid nonprofit-commercial system serving primarily India.
- L V Prasad Eye Institute: Multi-location Indian eye-care institution providing comprehensive ophthalmic services, training, and rural outreach, with a tiered cross-subsidy model similar to Aravind. Comparable to SEE on mission and patient mix, but operates as a larger, multi-specialty clinical enterprise rather than a volunteer-mission nonprofit.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SEE International social profiles
Digital presenceSEE International compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
SEE International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SEE International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
SEE International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SEE International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SEE International
What does SEE International do?
SEE International provides free sight-restoring eye surgeries and comprehensive eyecare services to underserved populations through international short-term medical clinics, local SEE Vision Care clinics across multiple California counties, the MSICS surgical training program for ophthalmologists, and the Direct Supply Support program that ships intraocular lenses and supplies to partner clinics worldwide. All services are delivered at no cost to patients by a network of over 650 volunteer ophthalmologists from more than 80 countries.
Is SEE International a public or private company?
SEE International is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SEE International founded?
SEE International was founded in 1974. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SEE International based?
SEE International is headquartered in Goleta, United States, in the North America region.
How does SEE International make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, foundation Grants, employer Matching and donor Advised Funds (DAF).
Who are SEE International's main competitors?
VisionSpring is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Orbis International, Sightsavers, Operation Eyesight Universal, RestoringVision, CureBlindness (Himalayan Cataract Project) and OneSight. Warby Parker is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Aravind Eye Care System and L V Prasad Eye Institute.
Does SEE International have an API?
No public API is recorded for SEE International.
What industry is SEE International in?
SEE International's product category is Humanitarian Eyecare. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKAKAA, Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care, with a secondary code of HLAKAKAB, Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care). Its NAICS code is 62132 and its SIC code is 8093.