How VOSH International is changing global eye care—and how you can be part of it w/ Dr. Vicki Weiss, President of VOSH International

Adam Cmejla:
Welcome back to another episode of 20/20 Money, The Business of Optometry. Joining me on today’s show is Dr. Vicki Weiss, president of VOSH International. Vicki, good to see you again.

Dr. Victoria Weiss:
Great to see you too. Thank you for having us.

Adam Cmejla:
You’re welcome. I’m looking forward to this conversation because when I look back through the content of this show, now approaching 400 episodes, most of the conversations have centered on helping ODs run better practices, think more strategically about their business, and plan their lives well inside their own personal and professional ecosystem.
Eventually though, as professionals, we start asking questions that go beyond our own practices and our own communities. We begin thinking about the kind of impact we can have more broadly in the world. That’s why I’m excited to talk with you today, because as clinicians, optometrists have a skill set that very few people in the world have. There also happens to be an organization, VOSH International, that gives ODs a way to use that skill set to serve others globally.

I’m excited to learn more about VOSH, its mission, the work it is doing, and your role in the organization. I thought a good place to begin would be the 30,000 foot view. What is VOSH, and how did you get involved?

Dr. Victoria Weiss:
Great. Thanks for having me. I really appreciate it.

VOSH, or Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity International, started in the 1970s. Many people may know it through the traditional model of traveling to a low or middle income country, setting up a short term clinic, delivering eye care and glasses, and then leaving. In the early years, that often meant recycled glasses and a short term care model.
Many optometrists may also remember being part of an SVOSH chapter in optometry school.

Over time, VOSH has evolved. We still support clinic work, but the organization has grown well beyond the short term clinic model. Since 2018, we have expanded from 85 chapters in 22 countries to 125 chapters in 33 countries. Our focus now is not just on delivering eye care, but on helping empower low and middle income countries to build and strengthen their own eye care systems.

VOSH is structured through chapters across the world, and student chapters as well. All of the optometry schools in the United States have SVOSH chapters, and there are many student chapters overseas too.
Part of what we are doing now is pairing SVOSH chapters in the United States with student chapters in other countries, and also connecting VOSH chapters in the United States with student or chapter groups abroad. That way, instead of simply flying into a community, providing care for a week, and leaving, you are connecting with infrastructure that is already there. That makes it possible for knowledge and skills to remain after you leave.

If you see a thousand people in a week, that is wonderful. But if at the same time you are helping teach local students or clinicians, then the impact continues.

We are also doing a lot more teaching online now. In some ways, COVID accelerated that for us. Obviously COVID was terrible, but one of the positive outcomes was that it pushed us to build out hybrid and online education in a way that now allows people from Africa, Asia, the Philippines, and all over the world to participate in our meetings and lectures.

So that’s a little bit of what VOSH is today.

As for how I got involved, honestly, part of the reason I became an optometrist in the first place was because I saw health care as a way to do volunteer work like this. I’ve been very lucky in my career to do exactly what I hoped I would do, both in private practice and through service.
I attended the State University of New York College of Optometry, and I joined SVOSH in its second year there. During school, I went to Honduras more than once, and later to Guatemala and Nicaragua. As a student, it was an incredible experience because you saw so many more patients than you would see in your clinic at school. You learned a tremendous amount very quickly.

Adam Cmejla:
From an outsider’s perspective, and maybe even from the perspective of many clinicians listening who are not very familiar with VOSH, that has always seemed like one of the biggest benefits, especially early in someone’s career. There’s almost a selfish upside in the best sense of the word. You get to serve, but you also get exposed to a huge amount clinically that you might never see in a textbook or even in your own local practice.

What I think I heard you say, though, is that VOSH has evolved from being only about going somewhere, helping for a week, and leaving. Now there is an emphasis on training, education, and sustainability. Did I hear that correctly?

Dr. Victoria Weiss:
Yes, absolutely. That is part of it.

Sometimes that teaching happens naturally during a clinic, where you are working alongside local students or clinicians. But we also have more deliberate teaching efforts now, where optometrists go specifically to a school in another country to lecture, teach, and work directly with students there.

A lot of these schools are already involved in community outreach, so the teaching and service go hand in hand.

If you go as a US optometrist or student, you are immediately learning about the culture and the people just by being there, so it really is beneficial both ways.

And yes, as a student, there is no question that it sharpened our clinical skills. When you are seeing hundreds of people, you learn to work more efficiently very quickly.

Adam Cmejla:
It’s a pretty strong forcing mechanism.

Dr. Victoria Weiss:
Exactly. You get faster because you have to.

For me personally, that experience with portable care and trial frame refractions also influenced another part of my career. In addition to private practice, I have also done a lot of care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. That work uses a lot of portable equipment too, so there was a natural connection there.

Adam Cmejla:
When you look at VOSH today, what do you think is the biggest misconception that ODs have about the organization?

Dr. Victoria Weiss:
I think many people still assume it is only about the traditional clinic model, where you go somewhere for a week, run a clinic, and come home. It is much more than that now.

There is a lot of opportunity to help support and strengthen optometry in other countries. That can include teaching specialty areas, teaching general primary care, or even helping people understand how to run a successful optometric business.

Many countries are still working toward having optometry recognized as a licensed profession, or toward expanding scope of practice. In some places, optometry is much more limited than what we are used to in the United States.

For example, last year I was in Ecuador with VOSH International, alongside ALDO, which is the Association of Latin American Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians. We were working with Ecuadorian optometrists, which was wonderful, but it was also a reminder that in some places optometrists still do not have access to basic diagnostics the way we do here.

That means there is an opportunity for VOSH to help support the growth of the profession globally, not just through direct patient care but through education, collaboration, and advocacy.

VOSH International is the largest optometric volunteer organization worldwide, and it is really a global platform for professional collaboration, optometric education, and humanitarian service.

Adam Cmejla:
From an involvement standpoint, I always think about the three Ts in nonprofit work: time, talent, and treasure. We’ve already talked a lot about talent. Can you walk listeners through what it looks like to get involved from a time standpoint, especially at the local chapter level?

Dr. Victoria Weiss:
Yes. There are local chapters all across the United States, and some are more active than others. Joining your local chapter is a great place to start. Some chapters are involved with local service, some focus more on international clinics, and some do both.

That said, VOSH International also has its own set of needs beyond clinic work. We have committees in areas like education, research, fundraising, communications, and chapter relations. Since the organization has grown so much, there is a lot of work involved in maintaining communication and coordination across so many chapters and countries.

So if someone has time and skills to offer, there are many ways to contribute besides traveling on a clinic trip.

And those contributions do not have to be purely clinical. If someone is strong in technology, communications, operations, or organizational work, those skills can be very helpful too.

Adam Cmejla:
And from the treasure side, obviously financial contributions matter, but there is also equipment listed on the website. We talked before this conversation about how donated equipment is only helpful if it is actually usable. Sometimes it is even more effective to donate money so equipment can be purchased closer to where it is needed.

Dr. Victoria Weiss:
Exactly. We are not looking for equipment that is no longer functional or practical. If you would not use it in your own practice, it probably is not something we want to ship overseas.

We do evaluate equipment, and we work with other organizations like CharityVision to help assess what is still useful. But because international shipping is expensive, financial contributions are often actually more effective than equipment donations. They allow needed items to be purchased closer to where they are needed, and sometimes in a more portable or practical format.

Financial support also helps us build the infrastructure needed for meetings, education, communication, and chapter support. All of that matters if you want the organization to have long term impact.
We also have an annual meeting, usually alongside the American Academy of Optometry meeting. This year it will be in Anaheim. It is hybrid, so people can join in person or online, and it is a great way to learn more about the organization and meet others involved in this work.
Adam Cmejla:
I was looking at the clinics section of the website and noticed all the locations listed for 2026. Guatemala, Senegal, Nepal, Fiji, Uganda. It really is remarkable to see the breadth of where this work is happening.
For someone listening who says, you know what, I’ve always wanted to do something like this and I’m ready to sign up, what can they expect logistically? They see the contact person listed, they reach out, and then what?

Dr. Victoria Weiss:
The first step is definitely to contact the person listed for that clinic. Each clinic is a little different, so you want to have a conversation and ask the specific questions for that location.

Things like where you will stay, what transportation looks like, what equipment to bring, whether translators will be available, and what local host organization is involved can all vary.

Usually there is a local group helping organize things on the ground, such as a Lions Club, Rotary Club, or another host organization. They often help with logistics and local support.

In terms of preparation, it is a good idea to visit a travel clinic before you go so you can make sure you have the right vaccinations and any medications you may need. And yes, you do need to be mindful of general travel precautions.

As far as equipment, that depends on the trip. You may bring your own basic diagnostic kit, such as the handheld equipment you used in optometry school, and in some cases VOSH also has equipment available to borrow. It really depends on the specific clinic.

Adam Cmejla:
How much of a language barrier is there?

Dr. Victoria Weiss:
It depends on where you are going, but generally there are translators available when needed, and you should not let the language issue stop you.

In some places, like Kenya, English is widely used. In Latin America, knowing some Spanish is very helpful, but even when you do not know the language, there are often local translators who help.

Sometimes translation is layered. You may have someone translating from an indigenous language into Spanish and then from Spanish into English if necessary.

So no, language should not be a barrier that keeps someone from participating.

Adam Cmejla:
That’s helpful. And I think that’s probably a good place for us to wrap up, because as always I want to leave listeners with a next best step.

It seems like the next best step is simply to start exploring. The website has a lot of information. There are different ways to get involved, different levels of involvement, and clear ways to connect with people who are part of the organization.

So even if someone is just curious, there is plenty there for them to start peeling back the layers.

Any final thoughts?

Dr. Victoria Weiss:
Yes. I would just add that even if you do not have the time or ability to travel right now, there are still online opportunities and donation opportunities.

There are about 2 billion people worldwide with near or distance vision impairment, and about 1 billion of those cases could have been prevented or have not yet been addressed. About two thirds of those people are in low and middle income countries.

So there is a tremendous need.

I would love for people to consider sharing their time, talents, and treasure with VOSH International. And personally, I think this kind of work can renew your excitement about optometry. Any time you come back from an experience like this, you are reminded in a very real way of the impact our profession can have.

Adam Cmejla:
Dr. Weiss, I’ve really appreciated the conversation.

We’ll put links in the show notes to the website, as well as to some of the YouTube videos that showcase the work your colleagues have done through previous clinics and missions. I think those are a great way for listeners to get a more visual sense of the impact and experience VOSH International provides.

Dr. Vicki Weiss, thank you so much for taking the time out of your morning and your busy schedule to share this conversation with me and with the listeners of 20/20 Money. I certainly appreciate it.

And for those of you listening, as always, we’ll catch you on the next episode of 20/20 Money, The Business of Optometry.