London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Andrew Bastawrous, Professor in International Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours with an OBE for his services to eye health overseas.

Co-founder and CEO of Peek Vision and co-founder of the Vision Catalyst Fund, Andrew has been passionate about vision and eye health since a pair of glasses changed his life at the age of 12.

Realising that so many people around the world didn’t have access to transformative interventions like glasses or eye surgery he set out on a path to spend a lifetime contributing to solving the problem.

By engaging governments, thought-leaders, partners and donors, Andrew has inspired individuals and groups to collaborate with him on solving vision loss for over two decades.

He became an eye surgeon in the NHS but was working on a research study in Kenya as part of his PhD at the International Centre for Eye Health at LSHTM when he saw the potential of smartphone technology for making eye health more accessible.

His work includes teaching eye health leaders, conducting research to inform best practices, developing new technologies, raising money and building teams, including co-founding a global vision fund and the award-winning social enterprise, Peek Vision.

Peek provides a smartphone vision-testing app that anyone can use, even in the hardest-to-reach locations. The app is embedded into a powerful system for eye health data capture and analysis. With Peek, eye health programme providers can follow the patient journey from screening to treatment and identify where patients are left behind. Programmes powered by Peek currently reach over a quarter of a million people per month.

Andrew said: “I am so fortunate to be surrounded by thoughtful, brilliant and courageous people. My wife Madeleine and my parents have made many sacrifices in pursuit of the work we are committed to. I am blessed to work with leaders, teams, partners and mentors who have supported and continue to give generously of their gifts, time and resources to create a future where everyone has the opportunity to access eye care and unlock the potential that is universal in everyone. This award recognises the efforts of so many people, many unseen, whose collective dedication and commitment makes ending avoidable vision loss a possibility in our lifetimes.”

Professor Liam Smeeth, Director of LSHTM, said: “Huge congratulations to Andrew. His pioneering work and dedication to making eye health accessible to all is an inspiration, and this honour is very well deserved.”

Peek Vision Foundation Chair, Martin Frost, said: “On behalf of the Trustees, congratulations to Andrew for this award. Peek continues to break down barriers and connect millions of people to the eye care they need. Andrew is a visionary CEO and healthcare professional. I am sure he will use this opportunity to continue to advocate for increased attention and resources for this cause, which is his life-long passion.”