Expanding Eye Health with Peek Vision

Although more than 1 billion people live with avoidable visual impairment or blindness, solutions such as glasses or cataract surgeries remain largely inaccessible in many communities around the world. Since its founding in 2013, Peek Vision has been developing and deploying easy-to-use software and data intelligence to improve eye health services in low- and middle-income countries. To date, this UK-based nonprofit has enabled over 1.5 million people to be connected to the eye care they need.

Latham began advising Peek Vision over a decade ago, enabling the nonprofit to scale its technology, enter into innovative partnerships, and, ultimately, expand its reach. Colleagues in the UK and Asia offer legal advice on Peek Vision’s commercial contracts and corporate governance, as well on data protection and software licensing. A recent agreement between the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Peek Vision — negotiated by Latham — will allow Peek to continue its long-standing partnership with the world-renowned International Centre for Eye Health at LSHTM, a partnership that has been critical to Peek’s development and growth. To date, Peek has been adopted in 12 countries across Africa and Asia, with ambitious plans for further scale-up in the coming years.

Our lawyers also worked with Peek Vision Co-Founder and CEO Andrew Bastawrous to establish the Vision Catalyst Fund (VCF), a new initiative designed to address the lack of government resources for eye care in low- and middle-income countries by developing innovative financing models to support governments’ prioritization and resourcing of eye care. 

"Thanks to the assistance of the Latham team, people in Uganda are able to access affordable payment plans for life-changing cataract surgeries."

Melissa Kuecker Witte, Head of Strategy and Corporate Development, Peek Vision

In 2024, London colleagues counselled Peek as it entered into an agreement with Opportunity Bank Uganda, to support a unique new financing program for cataract surgeries. Peek has recognized that household income typically increases 12-18 months after cataract surgery by more than the cost of treatment — which is unaffordable to most as a one-off payment. Through this agreement, Opportunity Bank will provide microfinance specifically for cataract surgery, with the goal of reducing the high rate of vision loss from cataracts in rural areas and increasing reliable income for eye care providers.

“Thanks to the assistance of the Latham team, people in Uganda are able to access affordable payment plans for life-changing cataract surgeries,” said Melissa Kuecker Witte, Head of Strategy and Corporate Development at Peek Vision. Following a successful rollout in Uganda, Peek Vision plans to expand the project to India and Kenya.

“Peek Vision is a phenomenal organization, and one that I am inspired to be a part of. Its mission is extraordinary, its technology is cutting-edge, and its impact, to date, is nothing short of astonishing,” said Tom Evans, a partner in our London office who leads the Latham team.