Champalimaud Vision
Award 2019
The world's most prestigious humanitarian ophthalmology prize was awarded to the Brazilian institutions with which Dr. Fernando Drudi collaborates as a volunteer surgeon.
The Champalimaud Vision Award
The Champalimaud Vision Award is granted annually by the Champalimaud Foundation of Portugal and represents the world's highest recognition for work in clinical and humanitarian ophthalmology. Valued at €1 million, the prize is awarded to individuals or organizations that have made an exceptional contribution to the prevention and treatment of eye diseases in vulnerable populations.
In 2019, the award was granted to three Brazilian institutions distinguished for their work in social ophthalmology: IPEPO — Institute for Blindness Prevention (Unifesp), the Altino Ventura Foundation, and the UNICAMP Department of Ophthalmology. The recognition highlighted Brazil's excellence in the fight against preventable blindness.
Dr. Fernando Macei Drudi, founder of Instituto Drudi e Almeida, participates as a volunteer surgeon in actions linked to IPEPO/Unifesp, contributing his expertise in cataract and keratoconus surgery to bring high-quality treatment to patients who cannot afford the cost of the procedure.
The Champalimaud Foundation was established in 2004 in Lisbon by the Champalimaud family with the mission of advancing biomedical research and clinical innovation. The Vision Award, created in 2006, has become a global benchmark for recognizing transformative contributions to the prevention and cure of blindness. Past laureates include institutions and researchers from India, Africa, the United States, and Europe.
2019 Award Recipients
The three Brazilian institutions recognized by the 2019 Champalimaud Vision Award.
Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp)
IPEPO — Institute for Blindness Prevention
IPEPO is one of Brazil's largest blindness prevention programs, affiliated with Unifesp. It performs free cataract surgeries and ophthalmological exams for low-income populations across the country.
Over 500,000 free cataract surgeries performed
Recife, Pernambuco
Altino Ventura Foundation
The Altino Ventura Foundation is a national reference in social ophthalmology, providing free consultations and surgeries to patients who cannot afford treatment.
Over 1 million free ophthalmological consultations
Campinas, São Paulo
UNICAMP — State University of Campinas
UNICAMP's Ophthalmology Department conducts world-class clinical research and outreach programs that bring visual care to vulnerable communities in the interior of São Paulo.
Research and outreach in preventive ophthalmology
The Impact of Humanitarian Ophthalmology in Brazil
Preventable blindness affects millions of Brazilians, especially in regions with limited access to healthcare services. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 80% of blindness cases worldwide are preventable or treatable — and cataract is the leading cause, responsible for approximately 50% of cases globally.
In Brazil, the public health system (SUS) performs approximately 500,000 cataract surgeries per year, but unmet demand remains significant. Programs such as IPEPO/Unifesp complement the public system by performing free surgeries with state-of-the-art technology and training new specialists in social ophthalmology.
The participation of surgeons such as Dr. Fernando Drudi in these programs is essential to expand surgical capacity and ensure that patients in vulnerable situations have access to the same standard of care offered at leading private clinics.
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