Press release Germany

A marketplace becomes a theatre stage – the next day, people come for the first eye test of their lives

These are the stories behind EinDollarBrille’s 2025 Annual Report: 272,000 people provided with glasses, the millionth pair distributed since its founding, and growing recognition from national health systems as a partner with a sustainable approach

Theater Forum in Burkina Faso klärt über Augengesundheit auf

Munich/Erlangen, 30 July 2026 – On World Sight Day last year, the marketplace in Koudougou, Burkina Faso, turned into a stage. A forum theatre performance used humour and empathy to show how eye conditions affect everyday life and the stigma they can bring. The response went beyond applause: the next day, many people came for an eye test – for many, it was their first ever.

The work of EinDollarBrille / GoodVision begins at the moment someone realises: “I no longer have to feel ashamed. I can get help. And there is a way forward.” Awareness turns into action. An encounter becomes access to care.

The results for 2025 show how the organization is systematically closing the “last mile” gap in eye health: through local teams, mobile eye camps, training, the continued development of digital tools and close cooperation with public-sector partners.

In 2025, around 272,000 people received glasses across 11 programme countries. Approximately 755,000 people benefited from free eye tests, while nearly 7,000 people were saved from blindness through support for cataract surgery. At the same time, the GoodVision programs reached a milestone: the millionth pair of glasses distributed since its founding.

The organisation is also broadening its international presence. With the establishment of GoodVision France and EinDollarBrille Austria, it is raising its international profile and strengthening the foundations of its work.

Lasting impact: GoodVision becomes part of national health systems

What makes 2025 particularly significant is that EinDollarBrille is growing not only in reach, but also in its capacity to become a lasting part of healthcare provision. The local GoodVision organizations works closely with health authorities – increasingly with ministries of health – to strengthen national eye care systems.

There are strong signs of this in Africa:

Burkina Faso has officially recognised the one-year GoodVision Technician training programme and integrated it into the national education system.
GoodVision Malawi is the first and, to date, only non-governmental organization to have been certified by the Medical Council of Malawi.

At the same time, eye care is being established in places where distances are long and trained professionals are scarce. In Burkina Faso and Liberia, the local organizations train nurses to carry out eye tests and fit glasses in remote health centres.

One million pairs of glasses, one million stories

Behind the impressive figures and milestones are countless personal turning points. Founder Martin Aufmuth describes a moment that brings this impact to life. When an older man was suddenly able to see clearly, “his eyes began to light up. He could see his own hut and his neighbour’s – it was as though the world was opening up to him again.”

This impact is also reflected in the programs:

São Paulo, Brazil: In cooperation with the city, a large-scale school programme was completed. More than 230,000 children at 567 schools received a comprehensive eye examination, and over 49,000 pairs of glasses were distributed.
India: At the Maha Kumbh Mela, GoodVision India distributed approximately 30,000 pairs of glasses to people in need as part of a government social programme.
Nepal: A young team brings eye tests and glasses “to places no one else reaches – no matter how difficult the journey”.
Bolivia: Last year, 14,416 pairs of glasses were distributed, and 28,756 eye tests were carried out. The country also demonstrates how GoodVision scales its work across a region: carefully checked shipments now leave Santa Cruz for Colombia, Peru, Paraguay and Brazil, making Bolivia a central hub for eye care provision in Latin America.

Innovation that bridges distances and safeguards quality

To strengthen quality even in remote areas, tele-refraction is being integrated into the GoodVision App. It enables optometrists in urban centres to provide professional support, improving assessment and care in remote regions.
In addition, VALY (Vision Adjusted Life Years) is moving into the implementation phase. Developed by EinDollarBrille (GoodVision Germany), this metric shows how much a person’s vision improves through the care they receive and how long that improvement lasts.

“We have never given so many people access to basic eye care as we did in 2025, particularly in very remote regions,” says founder Martin Aufmuth. “Above all, we are seeing how our work can improve the services offered by health systems. This creates an impact that will benefit many more people in the future.”

The EinDollarBrille e.V. (GoodVision Germany) Annual Report 2025 is available to download here: Annual Report 2025.PDF