School Screening
Early identification of eye problems.
A child rarely says “I can’t see the board.” They just fall behind. We bring eye tests, glasses, and treatment into schools — catching the vision problems that quietly hold a child back.
What this means
Identifying vision defects early, to prevent serious consequences.
School eye screening is a short, simple vision check done at school. A trained technician uses a letter or symbol chart to find children with reduced vision in one or both eyes. Those who fail are offered a full refraction, free prescription glasses, treatment for conditions like amblyopia and strabismus, and surgical referral when needed. The earlier these problems are caught, the more sight can be saved.
Why it matters
80% of learning is visual.
What a child learns reaches them through their eyes. When vision is uncorrected, learning slows. Confidence drops. Futures narrow. A pair of glasses can change all of that in an afternoon.
- Uncorrected refractive errors are the leading cause of vision impairment in children. Most parents and teachers have little awareness of the short- and long-term consequences of leaving these errors untreated.
- Untreated, they can lead to amblyopia and permanent blindness. Amblyopia (“lazy eye”) is highly treatable in young children. Beyond around age 8, recovery becomes much harder.
- School is often the only place these children will ever be tested. In the communities we serve, a child may never see an optometrist in their entire childhood unless screening comes to their classroom.
- Sight loss now is a lifetime of lost opportunity. Reading. Schoolwork. Future employment. Independence. All of it begins with being able to see clearly in the classroom.
One child, one classroom
“My teacher said I wasn’t trying. I was. I just couldn’t see what she was writing.”
Alamgir Hassan
Patient | Faridpur, Bangladesh
Our footprint
1.55M+ children. 3,607 schools. 6 countries.
From Khartoum to Karachi to Dhaka, our screening teams have been visiting one classroom at a time since 2000.
Sudan
Our largest network — flagship Makkah Eye Complex in Khartoum, operating since 1995.
View Hospitals in SudanPakistan
Where it began — Al-Ibrahim, Karachi opened in 1990. Newest addition: Naseerabad, 2025.
View Hospitals in PakistanBangladesh
Al-Noor Dhaka opened in 1994; now five hospitals across the country.
View Hospitals in BangladeshNiger
Makkah Eye Hospital in Maradi, serving since 2009.
View Hospitals in NigerNigeria
Makkah Eye Hospitals in Kano, Bauchi and Ibadan (newest, 2025).
View Hospitals in NigeriaYemen
Care continuing through conflict — Mukalla, Aden, Marib and Jibla.
View Hospitals in YemenYour impact
Three ways to correct a child’s vision.
Sponsor a Child’s Screening
From $100
Fund a full eye exam, refraction, and prescription glasses for one student. The simplest, most immediate way to change a child’s school year.
Donate $100Adopt a School
$2,000 to $5,000
Cover an entire school’s screening day. Every child tested, every set of glasses provided, every referral followed up.
Choose Your AmountGive Your Zakat (Zakat-Eligible)
Any Amount
Children living in poverty without access to eye care are among the most deserving recipients of Zakat. Direct your obligation toward sight that lasts a lifetime.
Give Your ZakatZakat-eligible
A child’s first pair of glasses is a Zakat that opens every door after it.
Restoring sight in childhood is restoring an entire future. School, work, independence, the right to see the family that loves them.
Your gift, accountable in every direction
Your gift, accountable in every direction.
AL BASAR USA is a Texas-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (Federal Tax ID: 92-1804033). Donations are tax-deductible and Zakat-eligible.
Join us
No child should fall behind over something we can fix.
Whether you give once, give monthly, or give your time, you put glasses on a child who needs them.
Every donation is Zakat-eligible and tax-deductible. AL BASAR USA, a vision for all.