Khmer Sight Foundation

What Khmer Sight Foundation does

Khmer Sight Foundation is a Cambodia-based nonprofit organization founded in the early 2000s by Australian ophthalmologists to address one of Southeast Asia's highest rates of avoidable blindness. The organization operates a three-pillar model combining ophthalmology residency and ophthalmic nurse training (producing 60+ certified ophthalmologists and 45 certified professionals annually), direct clinical services, and volunteer-led outreach missions. Core clinical services include phacoemulsification cataract surgery (4,500-5,200 cases annually), refractive screening (15,000+ annually), diabetic retinopathy screening (2,800-3,400 exams annually), and pediatric eye care (16,200+ exams annually), delivered through a permanent training center in Siem Reap, a reference facility in Phnom Penh, mobile surgical units, and 5-7 day outreach camps that reach 8,000-12,000 patients annually in remote provinces.

The organization's underlying technology centers on portable phacoemulsification surgical equipment mounted in mobile units, a standardized clinical database for tracking outcomes, and a planned telemedicine network for remote specialist consultations. Equipment and curriculum support come from international partnerships with top eye hospitals in Australia, Europe, and North America, the International Council of Ophthalmology, and Cambodian medical schools. The funding model is donation-based with 87% of contributions directed to program activities and 13% to administrative costs; revenue streams include individual and corporate donations, designated giving programs (per-surgery or training scholarship funding), volunteer participation fees covering in-country logistics, and multi-year commitments from casino and gaming industry charity programs. The foundation serves end-patients (underserved rural Cambodians, adults 50+ with cataracts, children with amblyopia and strabismus, adults with diabetes) rather than commercial customers, and reports a 95% post-operative success rate and 45 peer-reviewed publications from research collaborations.

Name

Khmer Sight Foundation

Legal name

Khmer Sight Foundation Global

Website

https://khmersight.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Khmer Sight Foundation is a Cambodia-based nonprofit founded by Australian ophthalmologists that trains eye care professionals and delivers mobile cataract surgery, refractive, pediatric, and diabetic retinopathy services to underserved rural Cambodians, reaching 8,000-12,000 outreach patients annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Eye Care Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (621320)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Eye Exams & Vision Care (HLAKAKAA), Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK) (HLAKAKAF), Optical Dispensing & Eyewear Devices (Frames, Lenses, Lens Edging/Finishing Equipment) (HLAHAJAD)

Keywords

• Cataract surgery services
• Ophthalmology training programs
• Community eye care
• Pediatric vision screening
• Mobile surgical outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Siem Reap

HQ country

Cambodia

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations fund clinical services, training programs, and mission operations. The organization reports that 87% of donations go directly to program activities.
2. Casino and Gaming Industry Charity Programs: Partnerships with casino operators through tournament-based fundraising, percentage-of-revenue commitments, VIP patron engagement programs, employee volunteer programs, and awareness campaigns. These provide multi-year funding commitments for equipment purchases, training scholarships, and surgical missions.
3. Designated Giving Programs: Donors can fund specific interventions including full cataract surgeries, training scholarships for eye care professionals, or equipment purchases for facilities, with detailed impact reports provided.
4. Volunteer Participation Fees: Medical volunteers pay involvement fees covering in-country lodging, meals, and ground transportation, plus personal travel costs to Cambodia.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Khmer Sight Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides eye care services to underserved Cambodian populations, including cataract surgery, refractive services, diabetic retinopathy screening, and pediatric eye care. It also operates professional training programs for ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses, and primary eye care workers, delivering services through a permanent training center in Siem Reap and mobile surgical units conducting outreach camps in remote villages.

Product overview

Khmer Sight Foundation is a nonprofit organization offering a unified service model focused on eliminating avoidable blindness in Cambodia through three interconnected pillars: eye care professional training programs (ophthalmology residency, ophthalmic nursing, primary eye care), clinical services (cataract surgery, refractive services, diabetic retinopathy screening, pediatric eye care), and volunteer-led outreach missions. The organization operates from a training center in Siem Reap and conducts mobile surgical units to reach rural communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eye Care Professional Training Programs Comprehensive training programs covering primary eye care workers, ophthalmic nurses (18-24 months), and ophthalmology residents (3-year programs), providing hands-on clinical experience alongside international faculty. Designed for Cambodian medical professionals seeking internationally-recognized certification.
• Cataract Surgery Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,500 to 5,200 cataract surgeries performed annually
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Top Eye Hospitals in Australia, Europe, and North AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnerships with leading ophthalmic institutions providing access to latest tools and knowledge. These relationships enable foreign experts to share advanced techniques and gain cross-cultural clinical experience through volunteer rotations. Equipment and technology donations from partner institutions keep testing and surgery capabilities current.
• Cambodian Medical SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationships with Cambodian medical schools to develop approved training programs meeting international standards while being culturally suitable and cost-effective for the region. Programs include ophthalmology residencies and ophthalmic nurse training.
• Local Health Centers and Community OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with rural health centers and community organizations enabling mobile screening camps, follow-up care, and local implementation of eye care services. Supports 95% post-operative success rate through medication supplies and local coordination.
• International Ophthalmology Professional BodiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliations with organizations such as the International Council of Ophthalmology providing best practice standards, curriculum development support, and accreditation guidance for training programs. Rotating international faculty support resident training.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology: Nepal-based eye hospital and training center with outreach across South Asia. Comparable combination of clinical service, training, and community outreach, though focused on Nepal rather than Cambodia.

Broad incumbents

• Lions Clubs International Foundation: Large international service organization with significant vision programs including SightFirst. Overlaps in mission and outreach to underserved populations but operates at much broader scope and scale.
• OneSight: Global vision care nonprofit affiliated with Luxottica operating clinics and outreach programs. Comparable nonprofit vision-care mission but at substantially larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Combat Blindness International: Nonprofit funding eye care and blindness prevention in underserved regions worldwide. Comparable mission of expanding access to eye care through partnerships, training, and direct service delivery in developing countries.
• Seva Foundation: Eye care nonprofit supporting clinics and training programs in low-income countries. Closely comparable mission, focus on community-based eye care delivery, and partnerships with local institutions.
• Himalayan Cataract Project / CureBlindness: Nonprofit delivering high-volume cataract surgery and training in developing countries. Directly comparable in mission, surgical approach (phacoemulsification at scale), and emphasis on local workforce capacity building.
• Fred Hollows Foundation: Australian-founded nonprofit focused on eliminating avoidable blindness in Asia-Pacific and Africa through training, treatment, and infrastructure. Highly comparable mission, similar Australian institutional roots, and overlapping geographic footprint.
• Aravind Eye Care System: India-based high-volume eye care provider pioneering scalable cataract surgery with cross-subsidized pricing. Comparable model combining training, outreach, and high surgical throughput to underserved populations.
• Orbis International: Global eye care nonprofit combining clinical training, hospital partnerships, and the Flying Eye Hospital for outreach. Comparable in combining international volunteer expertise with local training programs in low-resource settings.
• Light for the World: European disability and eye health nonprofit working across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Comparable in delivering eye care services, training professionals, and serving underserved populations in developing regions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/khmer-sight-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Khmer Sight Foundation