The Fred Hollows Foundation was launched in 1992, so it is a relatively new organisation. Nevertheless, their work has already assisted so many people around the world, especially those in undeveloped countries.

The aim of the Foundation is to raise funds to continue the work of Fred Hollows himself, who worked to improve the vision capabilities of people in third world countries. In his lifetime, he managed to reduce the incidence of cataract blindness and he set up the Foundation to continue his work. Fred Hollows passed away in 1993.

The Fred Hollows Foundation assists many thousands of people from disadvantaged countries every year .

Cataract blindness is a serious problem in many developing nations, and although the operation to correct it is simple and relatively inexpensive, it is too expensive for some of the poorer countries in the world. The operation uses an intraocular lens, which Hollows decided he could make simply and cheaply.

The next step for Hollows was to find an easy way to perform the operation, which could be taught to local doctors within these poor communities, so the knowledge was shared and more people could be helped.

Intraocular Lens Laboratories were built in Eritrea and Nepal in 1994. Since Fred Hollows' death, the Foundation has continued to raise funds for the programs he began and are constantly looking for news ways in which they can assist these disadvantaged areas of the world.

There are over 20 million people living in this world who have sight disabilities due to clouded cataracts. Through the Foundation's dedicated team, over 400,000 people with cataract blindness have been successfully helped. The foundation has trained over 500 doctors in 19 different countries around the world.

There are many ways in which people can help support the Fred Hollows Foundation. People interested in donating can do so; you can also buy a Fred Hollows Foundation pen and support them that way. There are also opportunities to hold fundraising activities and make bequests to the organisation.