A Conversation with Dr. Nathan Congdon on Vision, Research, and Impact

Dr. Nathan Congdon’s journey began at age seven, when a simple pair of glasses brought the world into focus for the first time. That moment of clarity never left him. Growing up in a community that deeply valued fairness, he came to see how something as treatable as vision loss was still keeping millions from reaching their potential.

Today, as Orbis Director of Research, Dr. Congdon’s research tackles avoidable blindness head-on, using one of global health’s most powerful yet overlooked tools: vision care. Through innovation and evidence, he's helping bring sight to those who need it most.

For Research Appreciation Day 2025, we sat down with Dr. Nathan Congdon, a global leader in eye health research, to explore how scientific breakthroughs are transforming lives. From AI to access to glasses, we asked what he sees as the most powerful ways research can help prevent vision loss and restore sight around the world.

"Technology is transforming eye care, especially in places where help is hard to reach. Artificial intelligence can now diagnose diseases like diabetic eye disease more accurately than many experts. In one study, AI helped doctors in Bangladesh treat 40% more patients using the same resources.

But we have to be careful. Most AI tools are trained on patients from wealthy countries. That doesn’t work well in low-resource settings, where images might be blurrier or harder to capture. At Orbis, we’ve built our own AI trained specifically for these environments and we give it away for free. It’s helping bring sight-saving care to people who would otherwise be missed."

"We often think of vision as seeing faraway things – like reading signs or looking out a window. But most of what we do in daily life happens up close: reading, farming, cooking, using a phone. That’s near vision and we all start to lose it after 40.

It surprises people how vital near vision is, from babies to grandparents. A simple pair of reading glasses can make a world of difference."

"In places like Africa, people skipped landlines and went straight to smartphones, they’re everywhere now. That opens big opportunities for eye care.

In Bangladesh, for example, many older people get their social payments through online banking, but they can’t see the screen. Just a simple pair of reading glasses can help them access their money, be more independent, and take part in the economy.

Smartphones can also be tools for care: one new app lets people test their own vision at home. The potential is huge but only if we make sure people can actually see their screens."

"One of the most common is the belief that glasses can make kids’ eyesight worse. It’s easy to see why parents might think that: their child gets glasses, and a year or two later, they need a stronger pair. But the truth is, their eyes are simply changing as they grow.

Our research has clearly shown that glasses don’t harm children’s eyes. In fact, they help kids do better in school and improve their quality of life. We just need to spread that message, especially in places where these myths still hold kids back."

At Orbis, research like Dr. Congdon’s is at the heart of our mission to bring high-quality, lasting eye care to communities that need it most. Whether its developing AI tools tailored for low-resource settings or proving that something as simple as a pair of glasses can change a child’s life, research fuels the work we do every day.

On National Research Appreciation Day 2025, we honour the scientists, doctors, and visionaries who help us push boundaries and bring sight where there was none. Their breakthroughs don’t just live in journals; they live in brighter classrooms, safer streets, and empowered communities. Together, we can build a future where no one is left in the dark.