Post by Dr Andrew Blaikie and guest author Busisiwe Mzyece, National Eye Coordinator, CFTB
Early detection is one of the most effective ways to prevent avoidable blindness. In Zimbabwe, a partnership between Zimbabwe Council for the Blind (CFTB), CBM Global, the University of St Andrews Arclight Project and the Ministry of Health and Child Care is helping bring eye screening closer to where patients already receive care.
Many people at risk of sight-threatening eye disease regularly attend diabetes and other non-communicable disease (NCD) clinics. By equipping healthcare workers with practical ophthalmic tools and skills, this initiative is helping strengthen the early detection of conditions that might otherwise go unnoticed until vision has already been affected.
Across four hospital-based workshops, 92 eye health workers — including ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses, registrars, refractionists and optometry students — took part in the programme, helping strengthen eye-care services across Zimbabwe.
Health workers at one of the training workshops using the devices with simulation eyes
Earlier detection for people living with diabetes
A major focus of the programme has been diabetic retinopathy, one of the leading causes of preventable sight loss among people living with diabetes.
Identifying diabetic retinopathy early allows patients to be referred for treatment before significant vision loss occurs. By supporting eye examinations within diabetes and NCD services, healthcare workers can identify at-risk patients during routine clinic visits, making screening more accessible and helping ensure fewer people are missed.
A clinican learning how to screen for diabetic retinopathy with the Holo BIO
This approach also strengthens referral pathways, helping connect patients who need specialist assessment and treatment with appropriate eye-care services.
Bringing eye screening into diabetes and NCD clinics
Healthcare workers across Zimbabwe were trained to use Arclight ophthalmoscopes and Holo Binocular Indirect Ophthalmoscopes (BIOs), portable tools that support high-quality eye examination in a wide range of clinical settings.
The Arclight devices are highly portable and come in a compact, protective case
A total of 79 Arclight devices and 42 Holo BIO systems were distributed through the programme, helping strengthen eye screening and examination services beyond specialist eye units and into routine patient care at district and hospital level.
While diabetic retinopathy was a key focus, the same structured examination can also help identify glaucoma, cataract, anterior segment disease and other common causes of avoidable blindness. This means a single examination can support the detection of multiple sight-threatening conditions, helping avoid missed opportunities for diagnosis and referral.
Building stronger links between eye care and NCD services
An encouraging aspect of the initiative was the strong support from national leadership, including the CFTB National Eye Care Coordinator and Ministry of Health and Child Care leadership for non-communicable diseases.
Their involvement reflects the growing recognition that eye health should be integrated into wider healthcare services, particularly for people living with long-term conditions such as diabetes. The programme provides a practical model for linking eye care with medical outpatient and NCD clinics while strengthening district-level services.
Looking ahead
Zimbabwe Council for the Blind sees this initiative as an important step towards a scalable national approach to eye health. Working alongside the Ministry of Health and Child Care, CBM Global, the University of St Andrews Arclight Project and other partners, the ambition is to expand the programme to additional provinces, strengthen ophthalmic nurse training and support locally led training and mentorship.
One of the doctors trained during the exercise using the Holo BIO as a screening tool in Plumtree, Matabeleland South at an eye camp sponsored by CFTB
Together, these efforts can support earlier diagnosis, reduce avoidable blindness and bring sight-saving services closer to the communities that need them most.