Three global institutions win million dollar prize for the 2025 António Champalimaud Vision Award

• Valued at €1 million, it is the world's largest award in the field of vision, recognising work that combines scientific excellence, global impact, and a commitment to equity in eyesight.
• The Fred Hollows Foundation has restored sight to more than 3 million people in more than 25 countries across Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
• The Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) has provided eye health services to more than 544 million people in 118 countries, performing over nine million cataract surgeries.
• The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) stands out for its crucial role in shaping the global agenda and driving systemic improvements in eye care.

LISBON, Portugal, Sept. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Champalimaud Foundation announced the laureates of the António Champalimaud Vision Award 2025, recognising three organisations for their remarkable and impactful commitment to the prevention and treatment of blindness: The Fred Hollows Foundation; Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) with its SightFirst programme and International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).^[1]

The Fred Hollows Foundation, established in 1992, has provided sight-restoring care to marginalised communities. The Foundation is distinguished by its close and respectful partnerships, particularly with Aboriginal Australian communities, Torres Strait Islander peoples, and various Pacific nations. The institution has supported more than eight million people, restored sight to over three million, and performed more than 560,000 surgeries. It has distributed over 178,000 pairs of glasses and trained more than 66,000 individuals.

LCIF has enabled over 544 million people to access eye care. The programme has trained over 2.6 million eye health professionals and supported the construction of more than 1,700 eye care centres. It operates in 118 countries and has prevented severe vision loss in 30 million people. In 2024, the programme supported more than 10,500 cataract surgeries and 54,000 eye examinations.

IAPB positions itself as a global leadership platform for eye health, bringing together over 250 member organisations in more than 100 countries. IAPB stands out for its strategic work in advocacy, policy development, and partnership promotion, playing a key role in shaping the global agenda. Its 66% growth in membership over the past decade reflects this pivotal role. Among its most recent initiatives is the creation of standard guidelines for Comprehensive School Eye Health Programmes, which will potentially benefit over 700 million children worldwide.

https://www.fchampalimaud.org/vision-award^[2]

References

1. ^{^} Champalimaud Foundation (www.fchampalimaud.org)
2. ^{^} https://www.fchampalimaud.org/vision-award (www.fchampalimaud.org)