Dr. Morris Hartstein performing eye exams on people in ethiopia

We Bring Life-Changing Eyecare to Thousands of Ethiopians

Your support makes it possible.

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13,283

Mobile eyecare patients treated

2,805

Sight-restoring cataract surgeries

20

Ethiopian eye doctors trained in Israel

2,494

Pairs of eyeglasses distributed

6,818

Units of medications distributed

OUR MISSION

Operation Ethiopia is a proudly Jewish and Israeli organization whose mission is to bring high-quality eyecare directly to every Ethiopian in need—to Jews and non-Jews alike. We bring life-changing eyecare directly to people in Ethiopia. We meet Ethiopia’s most destitute right where they are with our mobile eyecare clinics, eye surgeries, by empowering Ethiopian ophthalmologists with hands-on subspecialty training, and providing first-aid instruction to villagers.

See our work in action

It all started with a family trip...

We're Dr. Morris Hartstein and Elisa Minsk Hartstein. In 2014, our four teenagers asked us to take them on a volunteer trip to Ethiopia. We were struck by the immense poverty we encountered—malnourishment, lack of clean water or basic hygiene, and limited (if any) access to healthcare.

One person asked Morris, an ophthalmologist, to check a child's eye, and before we knew it, hundreds were lining up asking for help.

We knew right away we had to keep going back to provide this necessary, life-changing care. And with that, Operation Ethiopia was born.

dr. morris hartstein doing an eye exam on an ethiopian patient

Professor Morris Hartstein MD, FACS, is the Founding Director of Operation Ethiopia. He trained at Harvard University and Tufts University and is the Director of Oculoplastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Shamir Medical Center in Zrifin, Israel and a Clinical Associate Professor at Tel Aviv University Medical School.

Learn More About Us

Our Work

bearded man doing eye exam on an ethiopian woman in a headscarf

Mobile Eyecare Clinics

We bring our eyecare clinics directly to Ethiopian villages, providing routine eye exams, glasses on the spot, medications, and referrals and care plans for surgeries as needed.

With our large team of volunteers, we've been able to treat thousands of Ethiopians who otherwise would have no access to this basic medical care.

dr morris hartstein doing an eye exam on an ethiopian child

Oculoplastic Surgeries

In addition to cataract surgeries, we also provide oculoplastic surgeries for cases that are too complex for local physicians to manage. We also provide hands-on training in these techniques so the local medical community is better equipped to treat these types of cases in the future.

As of 2023, we've operated on over 300 patients at University of Gondar Hospital and Menilik Hospital at Addis Ababa University

dr morris hartstein and ethiopian doctor performing eye surgery in ethiopia

Physician Training

We infuse the Ethiopian medical community with the training they need to provide the level of care we provide to their patients—even when we can't be there. We train Ethiopian eye doctors while we are in Ethiopia, and we also bring doctors to Israel for longer training periods of 3-12 months in subspecialty areas such as pediatric ophthalmology, oculoplastics, and cornea repair.

Cataract Surgeries

1% of Ethiopia's population is blind, and cataracts are the leading cause. We've provided cataract surgeries to thousands of Ethiopians who would otherwise have no access to these sight-restoring procedures.

We provide the highest level of care, while maximizing efficiency, often doing up to 3 surgeries at the same time. With our cost-saving measures, your donation of $65 can restore one Ethiopian's eyesight.

ethiopian men with eye patches waiting for cataract surgery