Cataracts are the leading cause of preventable blindness in Ethiopia, where more than 1.6 million people are legally blind, and a further 3.6 million suffer from vision impairment. With only 200 ophthalmologists serving a population of 120 million, there is a critical shortage of eye care professionals. Most are based in Addis Ababa, meaning Ethiopians in rural areas face daunting challenges accessing eye care.