Global Eye Mission
Global Eye Mission is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that develops long-term clinical and surgical eye care services in under-served regions. It partners with mission hospitals across Africa, Asia, and the Americas to provide free cataract surgery, ophthalmologist training, and equipment support.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersEden Prairie, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Global Eye Mission does
Global Eye Mission (GEM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2008 by Dr. Steven Anderson, M.D. and headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The organization develops long-term clinical and surgical eye care services in under-served regions of the world, partnering with mission hospitals and health centers across Africa, Asia, South America, and the Caribbean. Its primary beneficiaries are blind and visually impaired individuals in developing countries, with a stated focus on cataract surgery—the cause of roughly 50% of global blindness—and the establishment of sustainable local ophthalmic infrastructure.
GEM's service portfolio comprises clinical eye care, sight-restoring surgical programs, ophthalmology residency training, mobile outreach screening, and gift-in-kind medical equipment distribution. Notable partner programs include the Bethesda Eye Unit in West Kalimantan, Indonesia (since 2008); the Tenwek Eye Unit in Kenya (since 1991); Bongolo Hospital in Gabon; La Fuente Clinic in Peru; the Danja Eye Unit in Niger (opened 2024); and emerging partnerships in Haiti, Liberia, Eswatini, the Dominican Republic, Rwanda, Congo, and Burundi. The organization also funds Eye Love Africa, which trains African ophthalmologists at the Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology.
The organization operates on a community-led donation model, raising funds from individual donors, churches, and partner organizations while accepting gift-in-kind contributions of ophthalmic supplies and instruments. All clinical services are provided free of charge to patients, and the organization employs 1–10 staff supplemented by volunteer ophthalmologists, optometrists, technicians, and nurses. The founder's humanitarian credentials—2011 AAO Outstanding Humanitarian Award and 2014 Minnesota Academy of Ophthalmology award—provide reputational backing for donor and partner recruitment.
Global Eye Mission firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Global Eye Mission
- Legal name
- Global Eye Mission
- Website
- https://globaleyemission.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Global Eye Mission is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that develops long-term clinical and surgical eye care services in under-served regions. It partners with mission hospitals across Africa, Asia, and the Americas to provide free cataract surgery, ophthalmologist training, and equipment support.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Global Eye Mission industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Eye Care Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Optometrists (62132)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Emergency Response & Search-and-Rescue (SAR) (BPAGAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA)
Keywords
Where Global Eye Mission is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Eden Prairie
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Global Eye Mission business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Financial Donations: GEM raises funds from individual donors, churches, and organizations to support eye care programs globally. Donations are used to develop clinical and surgical eye services, purchase equipment, train staff, and support partner hospitals.
- Gift-in-Kind Donations: The organization accepts donations of medical and surgical ophthalmic supplies and instruments (new or used) which are then distributed to partner eye programs.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Global Eye Mission product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Global Eye Mission is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that develops long-term clinical and surgical eye care services in underserved regions of the world. Through partnerships with mission hospitals and clinics, GEM provides free medical and surgical eye care (primarily cataract surgery), trains local ophthalmologists, supplies ophthalmic equipment, and runs outreach screening programs to restore sight to blind and visually impaired poor populations across Africa, Asia, South America, and the Caribbean.
Product overview
Global Eye Mission (GEM) is an international non-profit mission organization that develops clinical and surgical eye services in under-served regions of the world. Rather than a technology product company, GEM operates a portfolio of mission services including Clinical Eye Care Services, Surgical Eye Programs, Eye Care Training Programs, Medical Equipment and Supplies donations, and partner programs like the Bethesda Eye Unit. These services work together to facilitate long-term eye care solutions through local and international partnerships, with a goal of developing locally sustainable eye services that provide care regardless of race, religion, or nationality.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Clinical Eye Care Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 80% of blindness is avoidable and 50% of global blindness is due to cataracts—a blindness curable with surgery
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Global Eye Mission
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Global Eye Mission technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Global Eye Mission partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bethesda Mission Hospital (Indonesia)coreGEM partners with Bethesda Hospital in West Kalimantan, Borneo to develop a long-term self-sustaining clinical and surgical eye unit. Dr. Steve Anderson began working with Bethesda in 2008 alongside Indonesian ophthalmologist Dr. Edy Lubis. The program has grown to include Dr. Novika Pristiwati (Dr. Vika) and serves the poor of the region with medical and surgical eye care.
- Tenwek Mission Hospital (Kenya)coreTenwek Eye Unit was started in 1991 and has grown to serve Western Kenya with various eye care services. Since 2006, Dr. Ben Roberts (ophthalmologist, retina specialist) has served as head of the eye unit. Construction of a new eye unit was completed in 2018. GEM continues to assist in developing this long-term program.
- Bongolo Hospital (Gabon)coreDr. Wendy Hofman, a missionary ophthalmologist, has served at Bongolo Hospital since 2009 with her husband Eric. The eye ministry serves Gabon and trains African doctors through an ophthalmology residency program. GEM supports through regular financial support, grants, donations of supplies and equipment, and networking for volunteer surgeons.
- Danja Health Center (Niger)coreFollowing successful short-term projects, GEM partnered with Danja Health Center to develop a long-term mission eye program. After two years of fundraising, equipment acquisition, clinic construction, and staff recruitment, the Danja Eye Unit opened in 2024 as a new ophthalmology center offering medical and surgical treatment.
- La Fuente Clinic (Peru)coreLocated at over 11,000 feet in the Andes Mountains, La Fuente clinic has ministered to the Quechua people of Cusco for over 12 years. Dr. Nathan Henson serves as ophthalmologist and director. The clinic employs 60 Peruvian healthcare workers and developed into a premier eye care provider in southern Peru with new laser surgery program.
- Eye Love Africa / Serge GlobalcoreEye Love Africa (ELA), a project under Serge Global 501c3, was founded by Dr. John Cropsey. ELA trains African ophthalmologists at the Rwanda International Institute of Ophthalmology, mentors residents, and equips partner ophthalmologists in Congo and Burundi. GEM supports ELA through grants and surgical outreach projects.
- Hope of the Nations (Tanzania)minorGEM partnered with Hope of the Nations and Tenwek Eye Unit on surgical outreach projects in rural western Tanzania where virtually no eye care is available. Hope of the Nations has served rural Western Tanzania for over 13 years.
- LINK Missions (Niger)minorIn 2017, GEM was invited by LINK Missions to begin providing short-term surgical eye projects in Niger before transitioning to the Danja Health Center partnership.
- World Mission Prayer League (WMPL)minorThrough association with World Mission Prayer League, GEM is aware of opportunities for Eye Care Professionals in Central Asia. GEM refers interested individuals to WMPL for specific opportunities.
- United Christians International (UCI) - HaiticoreIn 2019, GEM partnered with UCI to develop a long-term eye ministry in Haiti. UCI has worked in Haiti for over 17 years with programs in education, nutrition, agriculture. GEM will support training of Haitian ophthalmologists, designing and building an eye clinic, equipping the facility, and mentoring new ophthalmologists.
- Vision Outreach International (Dominican Republic)minorGEM partnered with Vision Outreach International on surgical outreach projects in the Dominican Republic to treat underserved rural populations and teach ophthalmologists. GEM also participated in teaching at Elias Santana Hospital and residency programs.
- Cooper Mission Hospital (Liberia)coreDr. Roger Muhemi leads the eye ministry at Cooper Mission Hospital in Liberia starting 2022. GEM has provided eye equipment, instruments, and supplies, and networks for volunteer eye care providers. Hospital has plans for significant facility renovation.
- Medical Mission EswatinicoreMedical Mission Eswatini launched in June 2022 to provide healthcare to the neglected and vulnerable, directed by Dr. Jonathan Pons. GEM supports through financial grants, equipment donations, and networking with volunteers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Global Eye Mission competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fred Hollows Foundation: Nonprofit that restores sight by training local eye doctors, building sustainable eye health infrastructure, and performing cataract surgeries in developing countries. Highly comparable mission delivery model.
- Sightsavers: International NGO working on cataract surgery, neglected tropical diseases, and inclusive education across 30+ lower-income countries. Similar partnership-driven, training-focused eye health delivery model.
- Orbis International: Global nonprofit focused on preventing and treating avoidable blindness through partnerships with local hospitals, training of eye care professionals, and the Flying Eye Hospital program. Closest direct peer to GEM in mission, model, and developing-country focus.
- SEVA Foundation: Health-focused nonprofit partnering with local eye care programs to deliver cataract surgery and other vision services in low-income countries. Uses a community-driven, capacity-building model akin to GEM.
- Cure Blindness Project: Nonprofit (formerly Himalayan Cataract Project) focused on high-volume cataract surgery and training ophthalmologists in underserved regions of Africa and Asia. Operates a similarly sustainable partner-hospital model.
- Operation Eyesight Universal: Canadian nonprofit focused on preventing blindness and restoring sight through hospital partnerships, community outreach, and local capacity building in South Asia and Africa. Directly comparable partner-hospital and sustainability model.
Broad incumbents
- Lions Clubs International Foundation (SightFirst): Major global charitable program funding eye health infrastructure, cataract surgeries, and blindness prevention at much larger scale. Operates in the same space but with substantially more resources and broader mission scope.
- Christoffel-Blindenmission (CBM): Christian international development organization with significant eye health programming in developing countries. Larger faith-based humanitarian org with overlapping mission and partnership-driven delivery model.
Regional players
- Eyes for Africa: Smaller nonprofit focused on eye care and blindness prevention specifically in East Africa, with surgical outreach and training components. Comparable model but smaller geographic scope.
Emerging players
- Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation: Nonprofit focused on sustainable eye care delivery, training, and refractive error services in underserved communities. Comparable in mission and partnership model, though more emphasis on optical services than surgical.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Global Eye Mission social profiles
Digital presenceGlobal Eye Mission financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Global Eye Mission leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Global Eye Mission funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Global Eye Mission 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 Global Eye Mission
What does Global Eye Mission do?
Global Eye Mission is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that develops long-term clinical and surgical eye care services in underserved regions of the world. Through partnerships with mission hospitals and clinics, GEM provides free medical and surgical eye care (primarily cataract surgery), trains local ophthalmologists, supplies ophthalmic equipment, and runs outreach screening programs to restore sight to blind and visually impaired poor populations across Africa, Asia, South America, and the Caribbean.
Is Global Eye Mission a public or private company?
Global Eye Mission is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Global Eye Mission founded?
Global Eye Mission was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Global Eye Mission based?
Global Eye Mission is headquartered in Eden Prairie, United States, in the North America region.
How does Global Eye Mission make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Financial Donations are the primary driver. The others are gift-in-Kind Donations.
Who are Global Eye Mission's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fred Hollows Foundation, Sightsavers, Orbis International, SEVA Foundation, Cure Blindness Project and Operation Eyesight Universal. Broad incumbents are Lions Clubs International Foundation (SightFirst) and Christoffel-Blindenmission (CBM). Eyes for Africa is listed as a regional player. Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does Global Eye Mission have an API?
No public API is recorded for Global Eye Mission.
What industry is Global Eye Mission in?
Global Eye Mission's product category is Humanitarian Eye Care Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAA, Emergency Response & Search-and-Rescue (SAR), with a secondary code of HLAKAKAA, Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care. Its NAICS code is 62132 and its SIC code is 8000.