To celebrate World Sight Day (9 October), Orbis, the international eye care charity, hosted an intimate breakfast at the historic St Pancras London Hotel, situated in King’s Cross. The gathering brought together a host of celebrities, content creators and medical experts including many UK-based South Asian voices, to highlight the issue of avoidable sight loss and the charity’s ongoing to work to ensure that everyone, including populations across India and Bangladesh, can access timely and quality eye care.
Guests included bestselling author, broadcaster and charity campaigner Katie Piper OBE, actress and comedian Nina Wadia OBE, Escape to the Country host Sonali Shah and former Miss England Dr Bhasha Mukherjee, among others. Attendees heard from Orbis spokespeople, including expert ophthalmologists and trustees of the charity Sheraz Daya and John Ferris, about the over 1.1 billion people living with vision loss, and the charity’s innovative approaches to providing treatment for those in need.
For more than 25 years, Orbis has worked with partner eye hospitals and institutions throughout India to transform eye care services for adults and children who need care, treatment and support. In Bangladesh, the charity provides sight-saving services in remote communities and supports Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar with essential eye screenings and surgeries.
Sonali Shah, said: “World Sight Day is a time to reflect on the vital importance of accessible eye care and treatment across the globe. I know how important it is, especially for women and young people, to have the care and support they need to thrive. In India, Orbis is doing exactly that – supporting local doctors to provide life-changing care and treatment for thousands of women and children. It’s amazing to be part of a campaign that has lasting impact for communities, also offering training opportunities for the country’s next generation of female eye health doctors.”
Nina Wadia OBE, said: “India is home to around 270 million people living with a form of visual impairment, yet many struggle to access basic eye care. Orbis’s Women Led Green Vision Centres bring essential services directly to communities — screening patients, providing glasses, and training local healthcare workers. By serving those in need, these centres are transforming lives and strengthening communities across the country.”
The event also saw attendance from several well-known South Asian content creators, including the actress Ann Samuel, and lifestyle influencer Natasha Retnasingam.
Guests had their irises photographed at Orbis’s pop-up iris photography stand in King’s Cross Station. Each iris, beautiful and intricate, is a reminder of just how precious sight is—and why Orbis is dedicated to protecting it all around the world. The photography stand is open to the public until Friday 10 October and participants can have their iris photographed from just £16.
Also in attendance were leading healthcare professionals Dr Amit Patel, Dr Pavan Minhas, former Miss England Dr Bhasha Mukherjee and Dr Veena Babu, representing a growing community of medical experts and creators supporting Orbis’s mission to expand access to quality eye care and specialist training worldwide.
Colman Cawe, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Orbis UK, said: “We’re hugely grateful to Sonali, Nina, Dr Bhasha and all the wonderful supporters who joined us today to shine a light on avoidable sight loss. Their voices help us to raise vital awareness of the 1.1 billion people living with vision loss, of which 90% of cases are avoidable. By standing alongside Orbis, they are helping us inspire others to take action, and support sight-saving work that can transform lives.”
Orbis in South Asia
India is home to an estimated 270 million people living with some form of vision loss, of whom over nine million are blind. Nearly 65% of India’s population lives in rural areas, often far from major hospitals, forcing many to travel vast distances for even the most basic eye care.
Orbis first began saving sight in India in 1988, training healthcare professionals, strengthening eye care systems, and delivering community-based eye care programmes. In 2024 alone, Orbis conducted almost 40,000 eye tests in community outreach, 620 trainings for healthcare workers and prescribed over 6,000 pairs of glasses.
In Bangladesh, Orbis creates access to eye care through projects including Women Led Green Vision Centres, which break down barriers that women and girls face in accessing eye care, supporting Rohingya Refugees to get sight saving treatment. The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital has visited Bangladesh and India numerous times.
Why it Matters
World Sight Day, observed on the second Thursday of October, focuses global attention on blindness and visual impairment. Every iris photograph supports Orbis to change lives – it could help fund a sight-saving surgery, to deliver medicine, or train a local doctor in Africa or Asia to restore sight for those who might otherwise go blind. Join the Iris Campaign today and help give the gift of sight: Orbis | Eye Charity | Fighting Global Blindness | Orbis UK
