WELCOME TO
THE TRIFOCAL TRUST
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to offer a phased approach, organising and financially supporting medical camps, followed by sourcing phacoemulsification equipment and training local surgeons in this technique, followed by supporting the introduction of 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, which may be required following surgical complications or retinal detachment. Currently patients in need of this type of surgery are flown at considerable risk and expense to India.
The Trifocal Trust is dedicated to improving the provision and accessibility of high quality eye care in Malawi.
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
Our goal is to restore the vision of as many people as possible in Malawi who are living with preventible blindness. All funds raised will go towards cataract surgery consumables, modern equipment for cataract surgery and funding outreach to rural villages in Malawi.
​​
We estimate that a single cataract surgery in Malawi costs £20, a fraction of the cost in countries such as the UK and a small price to pay to restore a person's eyesight, enabling them to read, work and live unassisted.
Please donate today.
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.