Saudi Eyecare 2011

There are 230,000 visually impaired people in Saudi Arabia, including the partially blind, and the number is expected to increase to 500,000 by 2025. In preparation, the Ministry of Health has called for increasing efforts to prevent blindness. Leading those efforts is King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, the first Saudi organization accredited by the American Academy of Continuing Medical Education. Among organizations in the Middle East, KKESH received the highest recognition. Private companies as well are joining the drive, as financing packages have been awarded to local companies to meet aggressive eye care expansion plans. New hospitals are expected to provide an additional half million examinations and 50,000 operations a year.