How low-cost, high-impact technology can transform healthcare delivery in remote settings
Smartphones, AI, and Glasses: Reaching Remote Communities with Portable Eye Care
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About 80% of our interaction with the world happens through our eyes. Now imagine gradually losing your sight while living in a remote Indigenous community in Brazil, far from specialized care. How hard would it be to carry out your daily activities?
This is the challenge that Aldeia em Foco (“Village in Focus”) set out to solve. Supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IDB Lab, and partners such as the Suel Abujamra Institute, GoodVision, and Japan’s OUI Inc., the project delivers accessible eye care to some of the most isolated regions of the Amazon.
Trained community workers can perform screenings in just 15 minutes using a smartphone, a small camera attachment and AI-powered image analysis. Images are uploaded to the cloud, where AI detects abnormalities and connects patients to specialists remotely. This simple, low-cost model removes logistical barriers to eye care in places without medical infrastructure.
Immediate Solutions, Lasting Impact
In addition to diagnosis, Aldeia em Foco provides on-site vision correction through GoodVision’s modular glasses, which can be assembled and adjusted to each person’s needs within minutes—addressing about 70% of visual problems detected.
So far, the project has reached over 100 villages in 11 Brazilian states, delivering 25,000 screenings, 18,000 consultations, 16,000 glasses, and nearly 370 surgeries. It has also trained almost 700 local workers for basic eye health access, creating a sustainable care network that continues beyond project visits.
'Saving a patient’s vision is almost as important as saving their life'
— Dr. Eisuke Shimizu, ophthalmologist and CEO of OUI Inc., which developed the Smart Eye Camera (SEC) used in the project.
This approach also makes economic sense. According to the Value of Vision study by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, every $1 invested in eye health yields $28 in return. In Brazil, an investment of $295 million between 2026 and 2030 could generate $8 billion in economic benefits. Better vision means higher productivity, more active older adults, and stronger communities—proof that eye care is not only a health priority but a smart investment in inclusion and growth.
Aldeia em Foco shows how low-cost, high-impact technology can transform healthcare delivery in remote settings. Its model—combining innovation, training, and international collaboration—offers a replicable blueprint for inclusive healthcare innovations across Latin America and beyond.
Highlighting the global collaboration and innovation, this project has already received an IDB Innovation Award that focuses on its potential to transform healthcare delivery in underserved regions.
By integrating this approach into public programs and exploring partnerships with the private sector, countries can expand access to essential eye care while strengthening resilience and equity in their health systems.
Restoring sight means restoring independence, dignity, and opportunity. And as Aldeia em Foco proves, a clearer vision for one person can illuminate the path toward a healthier, more prosperous and inclusive future for all.
