By Karsten Paust, ophthalmologist, Bonn & project director TanZanEye
A simple device making a profound difference
The first time I heard about the Arclight was at a talk by Dr Martin Anderson at a 2018 conference in Munich. I was amazed by the simplicity and effectiveness of the message that we need technology to be as simple yet effective as possible to ensure equitable access to eye care across the globe. "Less is more". There was something that immediately struck a chord with me in relation to my work in Tanzania. I was struck by how much we try and shoehorn our Euro-centric and often overly complex technology and way of thinking into eye care in completely different contexts.
When I finally held an Arclight ophthalmoscope in my hands, I was amazed by its elegant simplicity. Here was a device so thoughtfully designed that it could perform all the necessary functions for a comprehensive eye and ear examination yet remained remarkably affordable. Not cheap in terms of quality, but fair in its pricing – a crucial distinction when implementing healthcare solutions, especially in low resource settings.
Dr Martin Anderson teaching ophthalmic assistants in Mpanda town, Katavi region during a TanZanEye camp
Bringing sight to remote communities
This discovery represented a pivotal moment for our work in remote Tanzania. Finally, we had found a practical tool that we could provide to our eye care workers, enabling them to examine patients in areas where sophisticated medical equipment was previously unavailable. This advancement marked a significant step toward our goal of preventing unnecessary blindness, particularly conditions like congenital cataracts and retinoblastoma that can devastate lives when left undiagnosed.
Previously, when we trained health care workers, such as medical students, eye nurses and community health workers they had little more than a handheld torch once we left. Now we have been able to empower hundreds of health care workers with Arclight devices alongside teaching workshops to allow them to continue to hone their skills and contribute to eye care at every health care level day in day out.
Using the Arclight attached to a mobile phone to show a view of the back of the eye during a TanZanEye training camp
Beyond equipment: the Arclight philosophy
The Arclight Project offered us more than just innovative equipment. Their practical teaching approach opened new possibilities for sustainable healthcare delivery. We increasingly shifted focus away eye camps where we merely treated as many patients as possible to actually enabling local health care workers to deliver eye care in their communities. These training sessions not only taught proper use of the ophthalmoscope but also provided eye care education specifically tailored to local needs and conditions.
What impressed me most was the Arclight team's commitment to listening and adapting. Rather than imposing standardised solutions, they worked collaboratively with local healthcare providers to understand specific challenges and customise their resources accordingly. This responsive approach ensured that both the technology and the training remained relevant and effective in our unique context.
Building sustainable eye care infrastructure
Our collaboration with the Arclight Project has helped establish essential eye care services in remote areas where none existed before.
For years, TanZanEye has strengthened eye care through four key pillars: human capacity building, infrastructure, continuous education, and sustainability. We’ve built two eye clinics, equipped primary eye care units across three regions along Lake Tanganyika, and trained over 100 specialists, forming the backbone of local ophthalmic care.
By integrating eye care into local health structures and aligning with the national eye health plan, we’re creating sustainable, donor-independent solutions. Our biannual hands-on workshops use the full range of Arclight Project’s resources:
• Simulation tools for risk-free practice
• Educational posters for low-literacy settings
• Accessible handouts reinforcing key concepts
• The Arclight device, an invaluable tool in daily practice
An ophthalmic assistant using an Arclight to examine an Arclight simulation eye during training
This ongoing training ensures long-term impact, empowering both community and hospital health workers.
Impact on preventable blindness
Through the collaboration between TanZanEye and the Arclight Project, we've achieved something remarkable. Community health workers and eye health specialists across a large, previously underserved region of Tanzania have been trained and equipped to identify, refer, and treat both children and adults with eye diseases.
This comprehensive approach is actively preventing unnecessary blindness from conditions that were once devastating in these communities. Children with congenital cataracts, as well as adults with cataract now have pathways to treatment before permanent vision loss occurs. Cases of retinoblastoma, a life-threatening cancer, are being detected earlier, saving both vision and lives.
Our trained health care workers now cover a population of 5.200.000 in 3 regions where previously there was no access to eye care. Every day patients are screened and treated for some of the most important causes of avoidable blindness such as cataracts, glaucoma, infections as well as refractive error.
Remote part of Katavi region where TanZanEye conducts outreach activities
The power of appropriate technology
The Arclight ophthalmoscope exemplifies the principle that sophisticated technology doesn't necessarily mean complex or expensive. By focusing on core functionality and durability, the designers created a tool perfectly suited for challenging environments while maintaining clinical effectiveness.
For healthcare workers in remote settings, this approach means having reliable diagnostic capabilities without the barriers of prohibitive cost, complex maintenance, or dependence on inconsistent power sources.
Tanzanian ophthalmologist Dr Nancy Urassa using an Arclight Holo, during eye camp at Kabanga referral hospital
Looking forward
As we continue our work in Tanzania, the partnership with the Arclight Project remains a model for how international collaboration in healthcare should function – respecting local knowledge, providing appropriate tools, and building sustainable capacity that continues long after the initial intervention.
The simplicity and effectiveness of the Arclight approach reminds us that sometimes the most transformative solutions aren't the most complex or expensive, but rather those that truly meet the needs of the communities they serve.
And finally, I’m excited that Arclight is now available in Europe, allowing my fellow European medical professionals to benefit from this affordable, well-designed device – one that has already made a significant impact on our work in Tanzania.