For the 35,000 homeless individuals in New South Wales, the challenges of daily life are often magnified by something many of us take for granted—clear vision. Reduced sight, whether due to short-sightedness, long-sightedness, or age-related changes, can make simple tasks like reading a sign, filling out a form, or even recognizing a familiar face feel impossible.

At Eyes of Hope, a volunteer-led mobile eye clinic, these barriers are being removed, one eye exam at a time. Dedicated to bringing free eye checks and glasses to the homeless across Sydney, the organization is transforming lives and helping people regain their independence and dignity.

We had the privilege of sitting down with Angela, a volunteer at Eyes of Hope, to learn more about their mission, the impact of their work, and the stories that keep them inspired. Here’s what they had to share about this life-changing initiative. 

1. Tell us a bit about the history of Eyes of Hope, how and why it got formed.

Eyes of Hope didn’t begin as a structured organisation; it was simply an idea that, by pure coincidence, emerged in three minds at once. About a year and a half ago, three friends - Shen, Marc, and Rajeev - each found themselves making the same harrowing observation: a particular subset of patients were constantly falling through the cracks of public and private eyecare systems - those experiencing homelessness.

For Marc and Raj, both experienced Optometrists, and Raj an Ophthalmology trainee, this realisation was spurred on from years of working in clinics and observing the same groups of patients being overlooked or underserved. Meanwhile, Shen, an experienced medical doctor and Ophthalmology resident, had recently returned from a long stint working in Ophthalmology overseas in India, where he had seen first-hand the devastating impacts of untreated vision loss, and how an entirely different healthcare system managed to tackle its own unique challenges.

Through a series of chance conversations, they realised their shared vision - and so, Eyes of Hope was born. What started as a short Zoom meeting in November 2023 soon evolved into the first Eyes of Hope clinic in May 2024. Volunteers were recruited, equipment purchased, and the organisation was officially up and running. Within 9 months, Eyes of Hope had raised close to $100k in funds, which has gone towards upgrading clinic equipment, the purchase of a new van to house the mobile clinic (an upgrade from Shen’s back seat!), and admin staff to support clinic operations behind the scenes.

2. What’s your role and how did you get started with EOH?

The first time I heard of Eyes of Hope was in passing while in a private meeting with one of my professors, at a time where I was feeling directionless and completely burnt out from my studies. Later at home, I wandered onto the Eyes of Hope website, which shone light on the challenges of accessing optical care in Australia. It was very eye-opening to learn of an unconventional application of optical industry skills designed to confront this problem and make a difference for those who need it most.

After registering my interest, I started off as a Clinic Hero, conducting spectacle dispenses and collections within a team and shadowing the optometrist as a scribing assistant. After a few months of experience, my current role is Lead Clinic Manager which involves more administrative tasks, training, and implementing solutions to maximise clinic flow efficiency.

There’s a lot of improvisation - it’s challenging, rewarding, and invigorating. Eyes of Hope is a purposeful charity backed by wonderful people that helped me to realign my goals and reminded me of why I chose to study optometry in the first place.

3. Any particular stories about patients who have been impacted by the program?

Through Eyes of Hope, people of all walks of life are given the opportunity to access services that they otherwise may struggle to.

One person who stands out to me was a domestic violence survivor who visited one of our clinics to replace her glasses, which had been broken by her partner to limit her independence.

The Eyes of Hope team was able to provide an eye test and new glasses free of charge, which not only fulfilled the patient’s rights to necessary ocular healthcare, but also gave the patient a chance to reclaim her autonomy and improve her quality of life.

4. Any future goals for EOH?

Eyes of Hope is committed to delivering accessible and equitable eye care services to individuals experiencing homelessness and vulnerability, addressing critical barriers to healthcare in a comprehensive and innovative manner. Despite the widespread prevalence of homelessness across Australia, there still remains a distinct lack of organisations dedicated to catering to the eye care needs of this population in a comprehensive manner.

Our vision is to expand the reach of our clinics across the state, followed by the country, with a focus on establishing services around high density homeless populations and in locations aligned with our community partners. In the near future, we aim to incorporate ophthalmic services in our model of care, to address a very significant need that currently exists. Stay tuned!

5. How can optometrists participate in this program?

Eyes of Hope is seeking Volunteer Optometrists to help run clinics located in the Sydney CBD. Our clinics are at the following locations: KRC Clinic (Darlinghurst), Salvation Army Foster House (Surry Hills), and St Vincent de Paul Clinic (Woolloomooloo). A monthly commitment of 4 hours is all it takes to support this vital cause and help bridge the gap in eye care for those who need it most.

Eyes of Hope is also in need of equipment to further enhance the service we provide at our mobile clinics, so if there are any Optometrists who wish to donate equipment, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

For more information on how to get involved, please visit our website,

https://www.eyesofhope.org.au or contact us at volunteers@eyesofhope.org.au.