Oogvereniging

What Oogvereniging does

Oogvereniging (legal name: Oogvereniging Nederland) is a Dutch non-profit membership association headquartered in Utrecht that serves as the primary national patient and advocacy organization for people with eye conditions in the Netherlands. Founded in 2013 and recognized as an ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling / Public Benefit Organization), it provides three integrated service pillars: information provision (the Ooglijn telephone/email helpline, the quarterly OOG magazine, newsletters, webinars, and an accessible WordPress website with WCAG 2.0 compliance and ReadSpeaker text-to-speech); peer support (more than 75 Oogcafé local gatherings, 22 ledengroepen organized by condition and region, and an Ervaringsdeskundigenpool of trained lived-experience experts); and advocacy at local, regional, national, and European levels, including through its European Blind Union membership.

The organization is staffed by a lean team of approximately 8 paid employees at the Utrecht bureau, supported by roughly 600 active volunteers who run regional and condition-specific groups. Members are organized into 11 regional ledengroepen, 8 patient groups (Albinisme, Glaucoom, Hoge Myopie, LOA/LHON, PXE, Retina, Ushersyndroom, Uveïtis), and 3 thematic groups (Geleidehondgebruikers, OOR&OOG, Oud-revalidanten), with an estimated total membership of approximately 5,600 (noting potential cross-group overlap). The Oogvereniging distributes its services through direct-to-consumer channels (website, magazine, social media, podcasts, WhatsApp), community-led networks (Oogcafés, ledengroepen), and institutional referral (the Contactnetwerk Ziekenhuizen hospital contact network), with additional expertise offerings including the Testteam accessibility-testing service and Digicafé digital-skills workshops.

The business model is diversified across four revenue streams: age-tiered annual membership subscriptions, one-time and recurring donations (tax-deductible via ANBI status), legacies and bequests, and project-specific subsidies from government bodies and partner organizations. Distribution partnerships include Kennis Over Zien (with Bartiméus, Koninklijke Visio, Robert Coppes Stichting, and MaculaVereniging), Oogfonds, NVVO, AJN Jeugdartsen Nederland, Koninklijke Kentalis, and GGMD. The addressable population is approximately 350,000 visually impaired or blind people in the Netherlands, and the organization operates exclusively in the Netherlands, serving a domestic single-country market.

Name

Oogvereniging

Legal name

Oogvereniging Nederland

Website

https://oogvereniging.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oogvereniging is a Dutch non-profit membership association based in Utrecht that serves as the primary national patient and advocacy organization for people with eye conditions in the Netherlands, providing information via a helpline and magazine, peer support through 75+ local Oogcafés and 22 condition/regional member groups, and advocacy at local, national, and European levels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Advocacy and Disability Support Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Rights Organizations (HLAJAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

Keywords

• Patient advocacy services
• Peer support networks
• Visual impairment support
• Healthcare helpline
• Disability advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees collected from members. The fee structure varies by age (geboortejaar), with different contribution levels for different age groups. Members receive the OOG magazine (4x/year), access to member-only news, and discounts on events and webinars.
2. Donations and Gifts: One-time and recurring annual donations from supporters. The Oogvereniging is an ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling — Public Benefit Organization), meaning donations are often tax-deductible. Donations can be made via iDEAL, credit card, or bank transfer.
3. Legacies and Bequests: The organization accepts legacies and bequests (nalatenschappen) from members and supporters who include the Oogvereniging in their will. Legacies from real estate are retained for 10 years per legal requirement.
4. Project Funding and Subsidies: Funding from government bodies, healthcare organizations, and partner organizations for specific projects, such as the Contactnetwerk Ziekenhuizen, research collaborations, and advocacy initiatives. These are typically project-specific and non-recurring.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Oogvereniging is the Dutch national patient and advocacy association for people with eye conditions, providing information, peer support, and advocacy services. Its core offerings include the Ooglijn helpline, the OOG magazine, Oogcafé peer-support groups, ledengroepen organized by region and condition, educational webinars and events, and policy advocacy at local, national, and European levels. The organization is funded through membership fees, donations, and project funding while operating as an ANBI-registered non-profit.

Product overview

The Oogvereniging is a Dutch patients' rights and advocacy organization for people with eye conditions, operating as a membership-based association rather than a technology product company. Its core offering consists of information and support services organized around three pillars: information provision, advocacy, and member connection. The primary service products include the Ooglijn (a telephone and email helpline), OOG Magazine (quarterly print/digital publication), webinars and events, and over 75 Oogcafés (local peer-support groups). Supporting services include an ervaringsdeskundigenpool (pool of experienced experts), a Testteam for digital accessibility testing, Voorlichting (educational presentations), and Digicafés (digital skills workshops). Members are organized into Ledengroepen (member groups) spanning patient groups by eye condition (Glaucoom, Retina, Hoge Myopie, Ushersyndroom, Uveïtis, Albinisme, LOA/LHON, PXE), regional groups across 12 provinces, and theme groups (Geleidehondgebruikers, OOR&OOG, Oud-revalidanten). The organization also provides Belangenbehartiging (advocacy) at local, regional, and national levels. No product integrations, API, or AI capabilities are offered — the organization's activities are service-based and human-centered rather than technology-driven.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ooglijn (Eye Line Helpline) Telephone and email helpline (030 294 54 44) providing information and support for questions about eyes, vision, and living with an eye condition. Staffed Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00. Also facilitates peer contact through a belteam (call team) of volunteers.
• OOG Magazine Quarterly printed and digital magazine for members, featuring news, information, and stories relevant to people with eye conditions. Members can also receive the magazine in spoken/audio format.
• Oogcafés Over 75 local peer-support meeting groups organized across the Netherlands, offering casual gatherings for people with eye diseases to connect, share experiences, and receive information. Typically feature a guest speaker or themed activity.
• Webinars and Events Online and in-person educational webinars and events on topics related to eye health, living with visual impairment, and relevant medical and social topics. Includes the annual Verenigingsdag (Association Day) and Oog op Kennis. Available free or at discount for members.
• Ledengroepen (Member Groups) Three types of member groups: 8 patient groups organized by specific eye condition (Albinisme, Glaucoom, Hoge Myopie, LOA/LHON, PXE, Retina, Ushersyndroom, Uveïtis), 11 regional groups per province, and 3 theme groups (Geleidehondgebruikers, OOR&OOG, Oud-revalidanten). Groups organize activities, share information, and advocate for their members' interests.
• Ervaringsdeskundigenpool (Pool of Experience Experts) Trained volunteers with lived experience of visual impairment who provide peer support, presentations, guest lessons, and awareness training on living with an eye condition to individuals, schools, and organizations.
• Testteam (Accessibility Testing Team) A team of volunteers with various eye conditions who test websites, apps, products, and services for digital accessibility on behalf of third-party organizations, providing feedback from the perspective of users with visual impairments.
• Voorlichting (Education and Awareness Presentations) Educational presentations and guest lectures delivered by trained volunteers on living with a visual impairment, targeting schools, organizations, and public institutions.
• Belangenbehartiging (Advocacy) Advocacy services representing the interests of people with eye conditions at local, regional, national, and European levels, addressing topics including eye care, employment, mobility, digital accessibility, and inclusive public spaces and transportation.
• Digicafés Local digital skills workshops teaching people with visual impairments how to use computers, smartphones, and digital services such as online banking and government portals.
• Membership (Lidmaatschap) Annual membership of the Oogvereniging with age-based contribution (fee determined by member's birth year). Members receive the OOG magazine (4x/year), access to member-only news, and free or discounted access to webinars and events.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 350,000 people in the Netherlands are visually impaired or blind, representing the addressable population served by the organization
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kennis Over Zien (Knowledge About Seeing)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKennis Over Zien is a formal collaboration between expertise organizations Bartiméus, Koninklijke Visio, and Robert Coppes Stichting, and the advocacy organizations Oogvereniging and MaculaVereniging. The partnership develops and shares knowledge about visual impairments through the platform kennisoverzien.nl, making life easier for visually impaired and blind people in the Netherlands.
• European Blind Union (EBU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Oogvereniging is a member of the European Blind Union, the European advocacy organization for blind and visually impaired people. Through EBU membership, the Oogvereniging participates in the development of European legislation affecting people with visual impairments from an early stage, influencing policy at the EU level.
• Zichtbaar in Werk (Visible at Work)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZichtbaar in Werk is the national information and advice point for everyone involved in working with a visual impairment — people with visual impairments who want to work or continue working, employers, and employment intermediaries. It makes information about job seeking and working with a visual impairment centrally accessible in one place.
• Oogfonds (Eye Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Oogvereniging collaborates with the Oogfonds on awareness campaigns about eye conditions, including myopia (high myopia awareness campaigns), funding joint initiatives, and co-developing educational materials such as praatplaten (conversation plates) for parents and children with myopia. The Oogfonds also supports fundraising for the Hoge Myopie ledengroep.
• BartiméusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBartiméus is one of the three expertise organizations (alongside Koninklijke Visio and Robert Coppes Stichting) that partner in Kennis Over Zien with the Oogvereniging. Bartiméus provides expertise services for people with visual impairments in the Netherlands.
• Koninklijke VisiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKoninklijke Visio is one of the three expertise organizations (alongside Bartiméus and Robert Coppes Stichting) that partner in Kennis Over Zien with the Oogvereniging. Koninklijke Visio provides rehabilitation, advice, and expertise for people with visual impairments in the Netherlands.
• MaculaVerenigingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MaculaVereniging is one of the two advocacy organizations (alongside the Oogvereniging) in the Kennis Over Zien partnership. It represents people with macular conditions. The two organizations also collaborate regionally (e.g., in Zeeland ledengroep) and on joint advocacy activities.
• NVVO (Nederlandse Vereniging van Orthoptisten — Dutch Orthoptists Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Oogvereniging collaborated with NVVO to develop praatplaten (conversation plates) for parents and children with myopia, launched at the NVVO Spring Congress in 2025. NVVO distributes the printed sets to orthoptists across the Netherlands for use in consultations.
• AJN Jeugdartsen Nederland (Youth Health Doctors Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAJN Jeugdartsen Nederland partnered with the Oogvereniging and NVVO on the development of praatplaten for children with myopia, supporting the distribution and use of these materials among youth health doctors across the Netherlands.
• Hoornvlies Patiënten Vereniging (Corneal Patients Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Oogvereniging and Hoornvlies Patiënten Vereniging are in exploratory discussions about a potential future merger. The two organizations already collaborate on the Contactnetwerk Ziekenhuizen project, jointly informing patients about their respective organizations in eye hospitals.
• Koninklijke KentalisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe OOR&OOG ledengroep (for people with combined visual and auditory impairments / deafblindness) has established contact with Koninklijke Kentalis to collaborate on organizing a webinar about the Begeleidersvoorziening (caregiver support service) in January 2026 and a seminar in March 2027.
• GGMD (Gespecialiseerde Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg voor Doven en Slechthorenden)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe OOR&OOG ledengroep has established contact with GGMD as part of its collaboration efforts to organize a webinar about the Begeleidersvoorziening (caregiver support service) in January 2026.
• GGMDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGGMD is collaborating with the OOR&OOG ledengroep and Koninklijke Kentalis to organize a seminar in March 2027 on 'living with a dual disability in hearing and seeing'.
• Koninklijke KentalisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKoninklijke Kentalis is collaborating with the OOR&OOG ledengroep and GGMD to organize a seminar in March 2027 on 'living with a dual disability in hearing and seeing' at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht.
• Hogeschool Utrecht (via OOR&OOG ledengroep)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe OOR&OOG ledengroep provided teaching materials from the Oogvereniging (glasses, headphones, tactile sticks) for lessons on deafblindness given at educational institutions including Hogeschool Utrecht.
• Diverse Eye Hospitals and ClinicsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLedengroepen such as Retina and LOA/LHON maintain regular contact with eye hospitals including Het Oogziekenhuis Rotterdam, UMC Utrecht, and Maastricht UMC. These hospitals host patient information days where ledengroepen share information and connect with patients. The Contactnetwerk Ziekenhuizen places volunteer contacts in hospitals.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Koninklijke Visio: Direct peer: Dutch expertise organization providing rehabilitation, advice, and support for the visually impaired. Partner in Kennis Over Zien; competes with Oogvereniging for government and donor funding.
• Bartiméus: Direct peer: Dutch expertise and service organization for people with visual impairment, partner in Kennis Over Zien. Comparable mission focus (visual impairment) but delivers direct services rather than advocacy.
• Robert Coppes Stichting: Direct peer: Dutch expertise organization supporting visually impaired people. Co-partner in the Kennis Over Zien platform with Oogvereniging.
• Oogfonds: Direct peer / adjacent: Dutch fundraising charity focused on eye research and prevention. Co-develops awareness campaigns with Oogvereniging (e.g., myopia) and competes for the same donor base.
• RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People): International direct peer: the UK's leading sight-loss membership and advocacy charity. Closest functional analog to Oogvereniging at greater scale, operating the same combination of helpline, magazine, peer groups, and policy advocacy.
• MaculaVereniging: Direct peer: Dutch patient organization for people with macular conditions, already collaborating with Oogvereniging via Kennis Over Zien and joint ledengroep activity in Zeeland. Competes for the same donor and member base on the disease-specific side.
• Hoornvlies Patiënten Vereniging: Direct peer: Dutch patient association for corneal conditions, currently in exploratory merger discussions with Oogvereniging and already collaborates on the Contactnetwerk Ziekenhuizen. Same operating model and constituency.

Broad incumbents

• American Foundation for the Blind: Broader incumbent: US-based national organization for people with vision loss, combining advocacy, information services, and policy work. Comparable scope of activities, much larger scale.
• CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind): Broader incumbent: Canadian national organization serving people who are blind or partially sighted. Comparable mission mix of advocacy, member services, and information provision at a larger scale.
• European Blind Union (EBU): Broader incumbent: pan-European umbrella body that Oogvereniging is itself a member of. Operates an overlapping advocacy and policy mission across 41+ countries at a higher jurisdictional level.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/hogemyopie
• Xx.com/oogvereniging
• Facebookfacebook.com/Oogvereniging
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oogvereniging

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Oogvereniging