By Rose Namukwai and Jennifer Tapia Boada

In May 2025, we visited the Joldhaka Vision Center and witnessed something extraordinary. A 14-year-old Bangladeshi student named Tisha peered into a slitlamp at the Vision Center as part of a much-needed eye exam.

Joyosshree, the 24-year-old woman in charge of leading the vision center, was using the latest ophthalmic techniques and technology to figure out why Tisha’s eyesight had become so blurry it was hindering her progress at school.

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As we stood beside them, we saw more than a consultation, we evidenced confidence, dignity, and trust-building.

The Joldhaka Center is one of the 14 green vision centers in Bangladesh, sustainably powered, community-based primary eye care hubs, launched through Orbis Bangladesh programming since 2022. Eight of these green centers are women-operated (called “women-led green vision centers,” or WLGVC), providing a welcoming environment for all, but especially for women to access quality eye health care in areas that have historically lacked such services.

Tisha told us:

“In my community, there is no proper eye care facility—only local village doctors who often lack formal medical training,”.

She went on to say:

"This vision center has been a blessing for me. Without it, I would have had to travel far from home for treatment, which would be both expensive and difficult for my family due to our financial situation.”

Seeing her receive dignified, professional care close to home reminded us that these centers are not just about services, they’re about access, equity, and local empowerment. She also told us how comforting it was to be treated by women.

Joyosshree, the mid-level ophthalmic personnel leading the center, added:

“A significant number of women patients come here specifically because I’m a woman—they feel more comfortable sharing their problems with me, and I can relate to many of their concerns on a personal level. In rural areas, women’s empowerment is still not widely encouraged. That’s why being in this position is especially meaningful to me.”

As women working in gender and health ourselves, these moments were powerful reminders of why leadership matters, and how it shows in everyday care.

Filling a gender gap in eye care

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Joldhaka and the other WLGVCs are part of Orbis International’s efforts to address gender equity in eye health in Bangladesh in cooperation with local partners. They employ and train women to provide essential care in remote communities, engage in community-based outreach to increase women’s and girls’ access to eye health care, and strengthen the role of women eye health professionals within their local health systems.

This work also aligns deeply with our mission at the Women Leaders in Eye Health initiative, where we aim to strengthen gender equity within the systems and institutions of Orbis International, Seva Foundation, and Women in Ophthalmology.

Globally, 55% of people with vision loss worldwide are women and girls, meaning there are 112 million more women than men living with vision loss globally. This gender discrepancy in vision exists across all levels and types of sight impairment, including blindness.​

The gap persists for a number of reasons. In many regions, women patients will more readily seek care from women providers, yet there are very few women eye care providers in low- to middle-income countries, especially in rural areas. Women also tend to have fewer educational opportunities and lack access to information about eye care, face barriers to accessing finances to pay for care, and may be unable to travel independently to access care.

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In Bangladesh, we saw firsthand how these barriers are being addressed through community-level solutions that focus on women both as providers and as patients.

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Transforming eye care and leadership in Bangladesh

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Without any doubt, WLGVCs are transforming how eye care is provided for remote communities. Located in areas with great need​, they function as decentralized access points for quality eye care. Teachers and community leaders, also known as “frontliners”, conduct initial visual acuity tests in schools and refer students who need care to the centers for follow-up. People travel from surrounding villages and rural areas to get eye exams and interventions they can’t readily access anywhere else. Vision center patients who need further care are referred directly to local eye hospitals with fully equipped subspecialty departments.​

These hospitals maintain data and referral systems that link back to vision centers through a teleconsultation platform and are able to digitize patients’ medical treatment plans and histories for future reference. This reliable referral system allows community-based screening efforts to lead to an organized care journey that inspires community trust.​

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The vision centers also excel at providing excellent care because they use the latest state-of-the-art technology that increases efficiency. The technology in these centers also supports the growth of the women running them. Mid-level ophthalmic personnel like Joyosshree gained confidence, recognition, and opportunities to mentor others.

"People in my community now respect me deeply—they even refer to me as a doctor, even though I don’t hold that degree (...)They trust me and believe I can take care of them. Leading this center has boosted my confidence. I now truly believe that I can make a greater impact through my work than I could have as a homemaker".- Joyosshree told us.

We felt deeply moved yet encouraged at the same time because her words, reminded us of how community-based leadership can redefine what is possible for women, especially in eye health.

Men are also intentionally included in the organizational structures of the vision centers, including sometimes as deputy leadership, and those involved are enthusiastic about allowing women to lead while they play support roles. We saw this collaborative model in action and recognized it as a crucial element for effective gender mainstreaming.

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