14-16 Verney Road
London SE16 3DZ
England, UK
+44 20 7635 4800
Freephone Helpline (UK only): 0800 915 4666
www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk
Contact information

Action for Blind People (UK) provides free and confidential support for blind and partially sighted people in all aspects of their lives. The mission of Action for Blind People is to inspire change and create opportunities to enable people with sight loss to have an equal voice and equal choice.

1703 North Beauregard Street, Suite 440
Alexandria, VA 22311
877-492-2708 (Toll free)
703-671-4500
703-671-6391 (Fax)
www.aerbvi.org
Contact AER

The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) is the only international membership organization dedicated to providing support and assistance to the professionals who work in all phases of education and rehabilitation with adults and children who are blind or have low vision. Membership is comprised of more than 4,000 professionals who provide services to people with visual impairments.

The Low Vision Rehabilitation Division and the Orientation and Mobility Division offer on-line courses for professionals.

For a list of United States chapters of AER, see AER Chapters, state by state.

1090 Don Mills Road, Suite 303
Toronto ON M3C 3R6
Canada
416-422-4989 (General information)
866-966-7667 (Toll free)
416-422-4847 (Fax)
www.audiovisioncanada.com  
E-mail: contact@audiovisioncanada.com

AudioVision Canada provides movies and television programs featuring described video service (DVS), a narrated description of the on-screen action added to the original soundtrack.

AudioVision has a catalogue of over 600 DVS movies in a choice of DVD or VHS formats. The soundtracks of these titles are also available on CD. The DVDs are "plug and play" with no on-screen menus and are easy to use by anyone with vision restrictions.

4920 Dundas Street West, Suite 302
Toronto, Ontario M9A 1B7
Canada
416-236-1796
416-236-4280 (Fax)
http://balancefba.org
E-mail: info@balancefba.org

BALANCE is a non-profit agency with strong roots in the community and more than 20 years experience working with blind and vision-impaired adults. BALANCE programs enable people with vision loss to live with dignity and inclusion, and lead independent, active lifestyles.

BALANCE partners with government and community services. Programs and services include income support, employment services, language programs, adaptive technology support, and recreation and health facilities.

www.bccpd.bc.ca
E-mail: feedback@bccpd.bc.ca

For more than 30 years, the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD) has been a provincial, cross-disability voice in British Columbia, Canada. The mission of BCCPD is to raise awareness around issues that affect the lives of people who live with a disability, secure the necessary income supports for people with disabilities to live with dignity, and increase their ability to participate and contribute in their communities.

Postal Address:
Private Bag X9005
Crown Mines, Johannesburg, 2025
Gauteng, South Africa

Physical Address:
102-104 Eighth Avenue
Mayfair, 2092
Gauteng, South Africa
+27 (0)11-839-1793
+27 (0)11-839-1217 (Fax)
www.blindsa.org.za
E-mail contact

The purpose of Blind SA is to do whatever is necessary or conducive to improve the quality of life of blind South Africans so that they in turn may play their full part in the socio-economic life of the country.

Programs and services for members include assistive devices, free braille magazines, free braille instruction, and a newsletter.

539 Queens Quay West
Toronto, ON
Canada
416-489-2433
416-489-2433 (Fax)
www.blindsailing.ca

Blind Sailing Canada (BSC) was formed to provide opportunities for the blind to improve their quality of life by building self-esteem and confidence through recreational sailing. BSC facilitates integration with sighted sailors and education of the public regarding the abilities of blind persons.

Pilestredet 75C, Postboks 5915
Majorstua, 0308 Oslo
Norway
+47 23 21 55 50
+47 23 21 55 51 (Fax)
Web site: Blindes Produkter catalog
E-mail: firmapost@blindesprodukter.no

This Norwegian company has an online catalog of more than 900 products for people who blind and visually impaired. The product description is only in Norwegian, but you'll find English links on the catalog home page to help you navigate in the catalog. The site is, however, most useful for people in Norway.

Im Auel 34
53913 Swisttal
Germany
+02226-91 34 03
+02226-91 34 04 (Fax)
www.braillewithoutborders.org
E-mail: blztib@t-online.de

Braille Without Borders empowers blind people from developing countries countries and enables them to set up independent projects and schools for other blind people. Using this example, the concept can be spread across the globe to enable more more blind and visually impaired people to have access to education and a better future.

Asociación Catalana de Ciegos y Disminuidos Visuales (ACCDV)
Cardenal Reig, 32 Local 1
08028 Barcelona
Spain
+34 93 447 06 06 (Phone)
+34 93 447 01 14 (Fax)
www.accdv.org/en  

The goal of ACCDV is to offer services to blind and visually impaired people in order to improve their quality of life and societal integration.

800-937-2264 (Toll free)
www.cbmus.org
E-mail: info@cbmus.org

Christian Blind Mission (CBM) is the oldest and largest ministry with the primary purpose of improving the quality of life for the blind and disabled living in the world's most disadvantaged societies.

CBM provides preventative, medical, rehabilitative, and educational services to millions of people each year. CBM supports more than 1,000 projects in 113 countries, and aid is available to all people regardless of religion, nationality, race, or gender.

CBM Worldwide Offices are located in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

4444 South 52nd Street
P.O. Box 6097
Lincoln, NE 68516-1302
402-488-0981
402-488-7582 (Fax)
www.christianrecord.org  
E-mail: info@christianrecord.org

Christian Record Services is an international organization serving blind and visually impaired individuals in approximately 80 countries worldwide and employs about 160 people throughout the United States and Canada.

They operate National Camps for Blind Children and provide free Christian publications and programs for people with visual impairments. Materials are available in braille, large print, and audio cassette.

National Office:
1929 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, ON M4G 3E8
Canada
800-563-2642 (Toll free)
416-480-7700 (Fax)
www.cnib.ca
E-mail: info@cnib.ca

CNIB is the recognized expert in vision health, and has been making a profound difference in the lives of Canadians affected by vision loss since 1918.

Active in every region of Canada, CNIB staff and volunteers work in offices or often travel to provide support, information and, most importantly, hope to clients in their homes and in rural communities.

As well as vital programs and services, CNIB provides innovative consumer products, research, peer support, and one of the world's largest libraries for people with print disabilities.

Meet Dawn Pickering, OC(C), COMT, CLVT, Professional Practice Leader, Low Vision Services, CNIB.

Grubenstrasse 12
8045 Zurich, Switzerland
www.daisy.org
Contact information

The DAISY Consortium was formed by talking book libraries to lead the worldwide transition from analog to Digital Talking Books. Members of the Consortium actively promote the DAISY Standard for Digital Talking Books because it promises to revolutionize the reading experience for people who have print disabilities.

The Consortium's vision is that all published information is available to people with print disabilities, at the same time and at no greater cost, in an accessible, feature-rich, navigable format. The DAISY Consortium has established a mission and goals in order to make this vision a reality.

Central Office:
58 Avenue Bosquet
75007 Paris, France
+33 1 47 05 38 20
+33 1 47 05 38 21 (Fax)
www.euroblind.org
E-mail: info@euroblind.org

The European Blind Union (EBU) is a non-governmental, non profit-making European organization, founded in 1984. One of the six regional bodies of the World Blind Union, it is the only organization representing the interests of blind and partially-sighted people in Europe.

EBU currently has 45 member countries, each represented by a national delegation. Its work is directed by an Executive Board of 13 elected members who are accountable to a General Assembly held every four years.

www.extant.org.uk
E-mail: extantad@btconnect.com

Extant is the opposite of extinct. Formed in 1997, Extant is the name of a dynamic performance arts space chosen by a group of professional visually impaired artists. Extant is Britain's only professional performing arts company of visually impaired people and has become an innovator in arts management, training, and Consultancy through the Arts.

Foresight – a branch of Tamkeen
P.O. Box 215230
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
+971 4 3643703
+971 4 3643705 (Fax)
www.foresightrp.com
E-mail: info@foresightrp.com

Foresight is a Dubai-based organization helping to accelerate a cure for blindness caused by hereditary eye disease that affects millions of people worldwide, particularly Retinitis Pigmentosa. In partnership with Tamkeen, Foresight also aims to improve the lives of people with visual impairment in their community and raise awareness of the difficulties people with vision loss face in their everyday lives.

352 Park Avenue South, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10010
877-KELLER-4 (877-535-5374) (Toll free in the US)
212-532-0544
212-532-6014 (Fax)
www.hki.org
E-mail: info@hki.org

Founded in 1915 by Helen Keller and George Kessler, Helen Keller International (HKI) is among the oldest international nonprofit organizations devoted to preventing blindness and reducing malnutrition in the world. HKI currently work in 22 countries: 13 in Africa, 8 in Asia-Pacific, and the United States.

www.henshaws.org.uk
Contact information

Henshaws provides expert care, advice, and training to anyone affected by sight loss, along with people with learning and physical disabilities, family, friends, and colleagues.

Henshaws has centres and communities in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Newcastle, Harrogate and Knaresborough. Each centre offers different services and programmes, but all have the common goal of enabling people who use our services to live independent and fulfilling lives.

Agincourt Recreation Centre
31 Glen Watford Drive
Scarborough, ON M1S 1A1
Canada
www.iceowls.ca
E-mail: ed.parenteau@rogers.com

The Ice Owls is a Toronto hockey team of blind and visually impaired players who have varying degrees of severe vision loss, along with a small number of sighted players. All games are played against sighted teams.

The puck is the critical difference in visually impaired hockey. It’s a thick plastic wheel, about ten centimetres across, filled with hardware. It rattles as it moves across the ice. While some of the players have partial vision and can see the puck in addition to hearing it, the sound is particularly important for the goaltenders, who are usually completely blind.

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) is the global organization leading international efforts in blindness prevention, including mobilization of resources. IAPB member organizations include academic institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), service organizations, and corporations dedicated to the prevention of blindness.

IAPB is aligned with the World Health Organization's Programme for Prevention of Blindness and together they coordinate the Vision 2020: The Right to Sight campaign.

The International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH) is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Blindness. The aim of ICEH is to facilitate a reduction in blindness with a particular emphasis on low income countries.

ICEH conducts research into prevention and treatment of the major causes of blindness, provides education in Community Eye Health - both in the UK and outside the UK - and disseminates information to health workers worldwide through the development and distribution of teaching and learning materials.

The International Council for the Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) is a global association of individuals and organizations that promotes equal access to appropriate education for all children and youth with visual impairment so that they may achieve their full potential. ICEVI is the publisher of The Educator. The ICEVI web site contains links and information about international visual impairment issues across the life span.

For information specifically about children, click on 'publications' and then on any issue of The Educator, a newsletter that focuses on school-aged children.

The International Eye Foundation (IEF) addresses cataract, trachoma, "river blindness," and childhood blindness; reducing the cost of eye care; and creating a network of highly efficient, productive and self-sustaining eye hospitals that treat all persons including the poor.

• IEF's SightReach Prevention works in Africa with the National Onchocerciasis Programs in Malawi and Cameroon to eliminate "river blindness," a parasitic disease affecting 17.6 million people.
• Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of blindness in children in the developing world. IEF's childhood blindness and vitamin A deficiency control initiatives distribute vitamin A capsules which cost less than 5 cents to thousands of children.
• IEF's SightReach Management program helps eye hospitals become more productive and dramatically increases the number of people served, lowers costs, and increases revenue while providing all patients, including the poorest, with the same level of care.
• IEF's SightReach Surgical helps ophthalmologists in over 35 developing developing countries puchase new equipment, instruments and medical supplies at greatly reduced prices.

The International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM) is the result of the merger and integration of the International Rehabilitation Medicine Association and the International Federation of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. 

Mission:

• To be the pre-eminent scientific and educational international society for practitioners in the field of physical and rehabilitation medicine.
• To improve the knowledge, skills and attitudes of physicians in the understanding and management of impairments and disabilities.
• To help to improve the quality of life of people with impairments and disabilities.
• To provide a mechanism to facilitate rehabilitation medicine input to international health organizations with special emphasis on those dedicated to the physical and rehabilitation field.

1 The Grange
85 High Street
Iver
Bucks SL0 9PN
United Kingdom
+07590 982 732
www.johngilltech.com
E-mail: johngill@btconnect.com

John Gill Technology, Ltd. specializes in the needs of disabled and elderly people, including assistive technology and inclusive design.

No. 21 Jalan SS3/82
Petaling Jaya, 47301
Selangor, Malaysia
+03-7877 0096
+03-7877 8096 (Fax)
www.disabilitymalaysia.com
E-mail: info@disabilitymalaysia.com

The Kiwanis Disability Information and Support Centre (KDISC) is a One-Stop Disability Resource Centre providing information, support, and assistance to persons with disabilities, their families and the disability community in Malaysia. KDISC acts as a comprehensive database of disability information, a referral centre for disability services, and a centralized body in the Malaysian Disability Network.

Lions Clubs International: SightFirst Initiatives: Lions are recognized worldwide for their service to the blind and visually impaired. The service began when Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness" during the association's 1925 international convention.

The Lions SightFirst program funds eye hospitals and eye care programs through approximately 45,000 clubs in 197 regions throughout the world. Lions Clubs International is a member of the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and established World Sight Day, now celebrated worldwide by IAPB and its member organizations.

Queen Isabelle House
Unit 8 Kingsclere Park
Kingsclere
Newbury
Berkshire
RG20 4SW
United Kingdom
www.livingpaintings.org
E-mail: info@livingpaintings.org

Living Paintings creates thermoform versions of pictures with raised surfaces that come to life when explored through touch. Sound recordings direct the fingers, telling the stories of the pictures and describing their features. These raised images explain the special shape and characteristics of the pictures, while audio descriptions provide instructions for touching and interpreting the images. Color reproductions of the images enable sharing with sighted friends, family, and peers.

Persatuan Bagi Orang Buta Malaysia
Kompleks MAB, Jalan Tebing
Off Jalan Tun Sambanthan 4
50470 Kuala Lumpur
P.O. Box 10687
50722 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
+60 3 2272 2677
+60 3 2272 2676 (Fax)
http://mab.org.my
E-mail: info@mab.org.my

The Mission of the Malaysian Association of the Blind is to empower persons with visual impairment by providing them with services and opportunities for greater participation, involvement, and integration into society, as well as to promote prevention of blindness.

132 E. Broadway, Suite 343
Eugene, OR 97401
541-343-1284 (Voice/TTY)
541-343-6812 (Fax)
www.miusa.org
E-mail contacts

Mobility International USA empowers people with disabilities around the world to achieve their human rights through international exchange and international development by sponsoring international exchange programs, international disability and development projects, and the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange.

Whitworth Road
Drumcondra
Dublin 9
Ireland
+353 1 830 7033
1850 33 43 53 (In Ireland)
01 830 7787 (Fax)
www.ncbi.ie
E-mail: info@ncbi.ie

The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) is a not-for-profit charitable organization that provides support and services nationwide to people experiencing sight loss.

NCBI also provides a range of services to public and private organizations to ensure that their services are accessible to people who are blind and vision impaired.

Noor Dubai is an international charity founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to help eliminate preventable blindness and visual impairment in underdeveloped areas in need.

Noor Dubai implements a variety of programs in order to achieve its mission to treat and prevent blindness:

• Therapeutic activities involve ophthalmologic consultations, disease management and surgeries to restore sight to individuals suffering from reversible blindness and visual impairment.
• Prevention programs aim to eliminate avoidable forms of blindness and visual impairment in developing countries supported by evidence-based epidemiological and public health research.
• Education initiatives involve increasing public awareness of the detrimental impact of blindness and visual impairment, and the training of health professionals and policy makers.

Pamela Brook, Editor
+44 1244 393 107
www.oteurope.com
E-mail: pbrook@advanstar.com

Ophthalmology Times Europe (OTE) is a physician-driven publication that disseminates news and information on clinical, social and political issues to members of the European ophthalmology community.

International Office Contacts

ORBIS International is a nonprofit organization fighting blindness in developing countries, where 90 percent of the blind reside. ORBIS has charitable status and fundraising offices in Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Macau, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

ORBIS also has offices in Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, India and Vietnam. Through these offices, ORBIS undertakes training, education, eye care delivery, and other programs having a direct and lasting impact on each country's ability to combat preventable blindness.

Main office:
ul. Konwiktorska 9
00-216 Warsaw
Poland
+48 22 831 22 71 (Main number)
+48 22 831 33 83 (Secretary)
www.pzn.org.pl
E-mail: pzn@pzn.org.pl

The Polish Association of the Blind (PZN) provides training in assistive technology, daily living skills, and orientation to children and adults throughout Poland.

P.O. Box 36225
Doha, Qatar
+974 4877544-22-11
+974 4877566 (Fax)
www.blind.gov.qa
E-mail: info@blind.gov.qa

The deep belief in the rights of the blind to integrate in society and display their capabilities and potential was the foundation for the establishment of the Qatar Social and Cultural Center for the Blind (QSCCB), in cooperation with the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, Special Needs Department, Special Needs Committee, and the General Youth Authority.

QSCCB is considered the first center of its kind in the country and is an official member in the World Blind Union and Asian Blind Union.

Hamrahlid 17
105 Reykjavik
Iceland
+354 545 5800
+354 568 8475
www.midstod.is
E-mail: midstod@midstod.is

P.O. Box 500
Gillespie Crescent
Edinburgh EH10 4HZ
Scotland
+0131 229 1456
+0131 229 4060 (Fax)
www.royalblind.org
E-mail: enquiries@royalblind.org

Royal Blind is a registered charity that provides services to blind, visually impaired, and multiply disabled people. Programs include The Royal Blind School; Scottish Braille Press; Braeside House for older people who are blind or visually impaired; and Scottish War Blinded.

105 Judd Street
London WC1H 9NE
England, UK
+44 20 7388 1266
+44 20 7388 2034 (Fax)
www.rnib.org.uk
E-mail: helpline@rnib.org.uk  

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) offers information, support and advice to over two million people in the UK with sight problems.

The RNIB's research library is Europe's largest, most comprehensive, and diverse collection of print and electronic materials covering all aspects of partial sight and blindness. Some materials are also available in braille and audio formats. You can search the online catalog for items in the collection.

The RNIB's online shop sells a variety of accessible products, such as clocks, games, lighting, talking book players, telephones, and publications.

Awhina House
4 Maunsell Road
Parnell, Auckland 1052
New Zealand
0800 24 33 33 (Toll free)
+09 355 6900
+09 366 0099 (Fax)
www.rnzfb.org.nz
E-mail: general@rnzfb.org.nz

The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind is New Zealand's primary provider of vision-related habilitation and rehabilitation services to blind and partially sighted people.

The RNZFB makes a comprehensive range of services available to its blind, deafblind, and vision-impaired members, including rehabilitation and habilitation services for independent living.

Grosvenor Hall
Bolnore Road
Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH16 4BX
United Kingdom
www.sightsavers.org
E-mail: info@sightsavers.org

Sightsavers is an international organisation that works with partners in developing countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.

Scottish Braille Press
Craigmillar Park
Edinburgh EH16 5NB
Scotland
0131 662 4445
0131 662 1968 (Fax)
E-mail: enquiries.sbp@royalblind.org

The Scottish Braille Press produces a range of magazines and books that are sold to blind subscribers at the price of the original print copy. The range of books and magazines available is provided in their catalogue, which can be downloaded in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF formats. 

5 Castle Row
Horticultural Place
Chiswick
London W4 4JQ
United Kingdom
+020 8995 0880
+020 8987 9965 (Fax)
www.pocklington-trust.org.uk
E-mail: info@pocklington-trust.org.uk

Thomas Pocklington Trust is a leading provider of housing, care and support services for people with sight loss in the UK. The mission of the Trust is to provide quality housing care and support services which promote independence and choice, and to fund research into the prevention and alleviation of sight loss.

The Trust also funds research and development on sight loss issues, and publishes reports and guidance to support those with visual impairments.

The Tiresias web site provides in-depth information on assistive devices for people with visual disabilities, current and future research, technical information, disability organizations and agencies, sources of research, funding, publications, standards, and legislation.

Royal National Institute of the Blind
105 Judd Street
London WC1H 9NE
England, UK
www.tiresias.org
E-mail: robin.spinks@rnib.org.uk

www.torontoskihawks.org
E-mail: dgbrown@ca.ibm.com

The Toronto Ski Hawks promote safe skiing for visually impaired, blind, and deaf-blind skiers. It was the first such club for blind skiers in Canada. Throughout the years, the club has developed skiers who have won gold medals in both Alpine and Nordic events at the World Championships for Disabled Skiers.

#611-340 Mill Road
Etobicoke, ON M9C 1Y8
Canada
416-760-2700
www.torontotrailblazers.org
E-mail: info@torontotrailblazers.org

The Trailblazers Tandem Cycling Club provides recreational cycling to people who have limited or no vision and the opportunity to cycle with sighted volunteers on tandem bicycles (bicycles built for two).

P.O. Box 511
Leeds LS5 3JT
United Kingdom
+44 (0) 8448 040 221
+646-867-3937 (United States/Canada)
www.traveleyes-international.com
Send e-mail

TravelEyes provides holidays for both blind/visually impaired and sighted travellers, journeying together in a spirit of mutual independence. Destinations include Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia, and the Americas, and vary from the unique and exploratory to relaxing sunshine breaks.

Vision 2020: the Right to Sight is a global initiative which aims to eliminate avoidable blindness by the year 2020.

It was launched jointly by the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) member organizations involved in eye care and prevention of blindness.

1300 84 74 66 (General inquiries Australia only)
+61 (0)2 9334 3260 (TTY)
+61 (0)2 9747 5993 (Fax)
www.visionaustralia.org.au
E-mail: info@visionaustralia.org
Office locations

Vision Australia provides a wide range of services from locations across New South Wales, Queensland, the ACT, the Northern Territory, Tasmania, and Victoria.

Services include:

• Independence in the Community and Home
• Education and Training
• Seeing Eye Dogs and Mobility
• Information and Recreation
• Advocacy and Community Education
• Business Services

The International Organization on Arts and Disability
818 Connecticut Avenue. NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20006
800-933-8721 (Toll free)
202-628-2800
202-737-0645 (TDD)
202-429-0868 (Fax)
www.vsarts.org
E-mail: info@vsarts.org

VSA is an international nonprofit organization founded more than 35 years ago by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts. VSA showcases the accomplishments of artists with disabilities and promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities.

5761 Middlecoff Drive
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
866-396-7035
www.worldaccessfortheblind.org
E-mail: daniel.kish@worldaccessfortheblind.org

World Access for the Blind, a non-profit organization, uses a modern, no-limits approach to equalize opportunities for the success of blind people.

World Access for the Blind "…strives to improve the quality of interaction between blind and sighted people by facilitating equal access to the world's resources and opportunities. We are interested in more than meeting the minimum requirements for functioning and life satisfaction. We believe in mutual respect, consideration, and accommodation of blind and sighted people by society. We will also help to mobilize resources, facilitate collaborations, and provide specialized expertise in nonvisual human perception to guide and focus the development of effective and respectful strategies and technologies to expand nonvisual capabilities."

www.waeh.org
E-mail: vanzuilen@waeh.nl
+31-(0)10-4017777

The World Association of Eye Hospitals is a worldwide network of eye hospitals. All hospitals that are member of the WAEH are "centers of excellence" in the area of ophthalmology, focused on delivering the best and safest ophthalmic care.

The World Blind Union (WBU) "... is the only organization entitled to speak on behalf of blind and partially sighted persons of the world, representing 180 million blind and visually impaired persons from about 600 different organizations in 158 countries."

WBU is divided into six regions, each with a constitution of its own. Together, the regions form the World Blind Union. The WBU is a non-political, non-religious, non-governmental, and non-profit-making organization. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations specialized agency for health, established on April 7, 1948.

WHO's objective is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health is defined in WHO's constitution as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

WHO's Prevention of Blindness and Deafness team (PBD) develops strategies for prevention and control of blindness, deafness and hearing impairment. Team members, together with many partners in the field, including NGOs and WHO collaborating centres, work with governments and country-based teams to support the implementation of national strategies for prevention of blindness.

In addition to facilitating ongoing strategic planning, the PBD team co-ordinates the collection and dissemination at national, regional, and global data that reflect the burden of visual and hearing impairment and the implementation of programme strategies.

The World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC) provides a comprehensive country-specific listing of non-profit organizations working in the field of international eye care, rehabilitation, and prevention of blindness.

The WOC meets every two years, bringing together the International Council of Ophthalmology and the Federation of Ophthalmology Societies, which are responsible for setting standards and training ophthalmologists worldwide.