WELCOME TO
THE TRIFOCAL TRUST
OUR MISSION
The Trifocal Trust is dedicated to improving the provision and accessibility of high quality eye care in Malawi.
Our mission is to offer a phased approach, with assisting a local eye camp and financially supporting subsequent eye camps, followed by purchasing phacoemulsification equipment and training local surgeons in this technique, followed lastly by introducing a vitreoretinal service
NGOs are the primary income source for cataract surgery, with Sightsavers most recently funding a 5-year project achieving 400-500 operations per year, but this ended late 2023. Currently in Malawi all cataract surgery is performed using an old-fashioned (small incision extracapsular) surgical method as there is no phacoemulsification machine for modern small incision surgery which is safer and offers more rapid recovery. There is also no biometry equipment which means eyes cannot be measured for a ‘best suited’ implanted lens power and instead receive more of a ‘best guess’ leading to post operative uncorrected refractive error. Additionally, in the entire country there is no operating equipment to perform vitreoretinal surgery, for example: following complex cataract surgery or retinal detachment, and currently patients in need of this type of surgery are flown at considerable risk and expense to India.
20.8 million people live in Malawi
Only 16 Ophthalmologists
8,500 thought to be living blind from treatable cataract
Southwestern region had only 15 cataract operations recorded between Jan-April 2024
No equipment to perform the modern cataract surgery technique which is safer and offers rapid recovery
DONATE TODAY
Your support is vital to our work at The Trifocal Trust. There are many ways you can contribute towards our causes, and every little bit that you commit goes a long way in helping us fulfil our mission.
We are committed to supporting the local doctors providing eyecare in Malawi to prevent avoidable blindness and are very grateful to anything you may be able to offer.