Episode 119: Global Blindness: Why 80% Is Preventable and What's Standing in the Way

Episode 119: Global Blindness: Why 80% Is Preventable and What's Standing in the Way

From Stanford Medcast: Expert Voices in Medicine and Healthcare by Stanford University School of Medicine

June 2, 2026 · 36 min · Episode 121

About this episode

Dr. Geoffrey Tabin discusses the global burden of avoidable blindness and the barriers to accessing high-quality eye care.

In this episode of Stanford Medcast, Dr. Geoffrey Tabin discusses the global burden of avoidable blindness and the systems-level barriers that continue to limit access to high-quality eye care worldwide. Drawing on decades of experience building scalable eye care programs in Nepal and Sub-Saharan Africa, Dr. Tabin explores how cost, workforce design, infrastructure, mentorship, and innovation shape the delivery of ophthalmologic care in low-resource settings. The conversation also examines lessons applicable to high-resource healthcare systems, including opportunities to rethink efficiency, sustainability, and equitable access to care. This activity is designed for clinicians and healthcare professionals interested in global health, healthcare delivery, systems innovation, and ophthalmology. Read Transcript: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/4m3dcruszi9hcvbc/medcast_episode119.pdf CME Information: https://stanford.cloud-cme.com/medcastepisode119 Claim CE: https://stanford.cloud-cme.com/Form.aspx?FormID=3955

People in this episode

Guest: Dr. Geoffrey Tabin

Topics covered

  • global blindness
  • eye care
  • healthcare systems
  • preventable blindness
  • ophthalmology
  • healthcare delivery

Keywords

  • global health
  • eye care programs
  • systems innovation
  • ophthalmologic care
  • equitable access

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Stanford University School of Medicine

Places: Nepal, Sub-Saharan Africa

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