About Hope for the Blind

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Our vision is building a credible solution for preventable blindness.
team of staff at hope for the blind
Our Core value is respect, driving all our other values:
  • Care & Gentleness - Respect for those in distress
  • Integrity - Respect for your own character
  • Equality - Respect for humanity
  • Sustainability - Respect for the future
  • Diligence and Faithfulness: Respect for our responsibilities
Our Mission is to:
  1. Develop an equitable Eye care system that’s sustainable.
  2. Deliver an uplifting experience for both patients and staff.
  3. Cultivate a culture of respect and togetherness between rich, poor, and different groups.
  4. Improve eye-care cost-effectiveness without compromising on quality.
  5. Inspiring Christ's Hope

Our Cross-Subsidising Structure

Our hospital is unique in South Africa in that it functions on a cross-subsidizing structure. Patients on medical aid are assisted at medical aid rates.

Proceeds from these services are then used to assist low socioeconomic status patients waiting for cataract operations on waiting lists.
Surgeries at Hope for the Blind
60% of surgeries at hope for the blind are subsidised for the those in need
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Meet the Team

The Hope for the blind Trust was established by ophthalmologists who worked and trained in the Limpopo province.

Ophthalmologists

Dr Frits Stegmann
Dr Frits Stegmann
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Dr Frits Stegmann
Completed ophthalmology training at SMU (formerly Medunsa) in 1993. Previous head of Limpopo Eye Services from 1996 – 2010. Worked as a consultant ophthalmologist in Limpopo public health for more than 30 years, most recently at FH Odendaal Hospital, Modimolle. Special interest in small incision cataract surgery, paediatric cataract surgery and glaucoma surgery.
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Dr Philip Phatudi
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Dr Philip Phatudi
Completed Ophthalmology training from the University of the Free State. Completed glaucoma fellowship from the Meilahti Eye and Ear hospital in Helsinki, Finland. Graduated Physician CEO  from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Founding member and serves on the executive committee of the Pan African Glaucoma Association, member of the South African Glaucoma Society executive committee, the World Glaucoma Association Associate Advisory Board and global outreach committee.
Dr Precious Phatudi
Dr Precious Phatudi
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Dr Precious Phatudi
Completed under and postgraduate studies at the Universities of Pretoria and Free State respectively. She has a keen interest in cataract and refractive surgery. She is passionate about making quality eye care services accessible and affordable, especially to marginalized and underserviced communities. She is currently a fellow of the Refractive Surgery Alliance Fellowship Network, and also a Physician CEO graduate from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
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Dr Rian Viljoen
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Dr Rian Viljoen
Completed ophthalmology training in 2012 at SMU (formerly Medunsa), with further fellowship training in retinal disorders at Johannesburg Eye Hospital (2013) and the Lions Eye Institute in Perth, Australia (2015). He has a special interest in retinal and cataract surgery and works at the Retina Surgery Centre, Johannesburg, and the Hope For The Blind Eye Hospital.

    Anaesthesiologists and Hospital Staff

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    Dr George Stegmann
    Anaesthesiologist
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    Sr Liana Engelbrecht
    Hospital Manager