When KnowTheGlow (KTG) Co-Founder Megan Webber and Director of Global Outreach Helene Dameris met with Dr. Niraj Dev Joshi, they were deeply moved by his dedication to improving vision care for children throughout Nepal.
Niraj has nearly twenty years of experience as an optometrist and today served as the President of the Nepalese Association of Optometrists, a lecturer and program coordinator at the Institute of Medicine in Tribhuvan University, and a member of the Executive Board of the Asia Pacific Council of Optometry. His path to this profession began with an interest in medicine but quickly shifted when he realized the immediate and profound impact that optometry could have on someone’s life. He described the joy of fitting someone with their first pair of glasses and watching their eyes light up with the realization that they can finally see clearly.
From the classroom where he teaches and mentors small groups of students, to the most remote mountain villages, Niraj has dedicated his career to building a stronger vision care system in Nepal. He is one of the founding members of the Nepalese Association of Optometrists (NAO) and has worked tirelessly to raise professional standards and create opportunities for the country’s 1,700 optometrists, many of whom are just beginning to find their place in a growing but still limited healthcare system.
He spoke about the reality of eye care in Nepal, where the government has very little involvement, leaving NGOs and volunteer organizations to carry the weight of providing essential services. Most resources are concentrated in and around Kathmandu while the remote hill regions remain underserved. To bridge this gap, Niraj and his colleagues organize weekly vision screenings, community outreach programs, and school-based initiatives. Teachers are trained to recognize warning signs such as a white reflex in the eye and are provided with visual acuity charts to help identify refractive errors. It is now mandatory in the larger cities for children to present a vision certificate confirming healthy eyes before they start school.
Niraj shared that his teams work closely with Optometry Giving Sight, which has supported projects in Nepal since 2015, and that provincial committees in all seven provinces lead local education events, organize World Sight Day programs, and distribute free glasses to those who need them. These events also serve as an opportunity to educate families about the signs of more serious eye conditions.
In their discussion, Megan explained KnowTheGlow’s mission to raise awareness about pediatric eye diseases, particularly retinoblastoma, and how the organization has been working across Asia and Africa to provide free educational resources. She introduced KTG’s awareness campaigns, including those focused on conditions that can present as a white glow in the eye. Niraj expressed his appreciation for this outreach, saying that these kinds of resources are exactly what Nepal needs as it works to reach children in rural areas. He welcomed the opportunity to incorporate KTG’s materials into their screening programs and suggested using World Optometry Day as a key moment for raising awareness about early warning signs.
By the end of the conversation, it was clear that Niraj and KTG share a common vision. Both believe that early intervention, awareness, and collaboration can change the trajectory for children at risk of vision loss. Despite the challenges in Nepal, Niraj’s work stands as an inspiring example of what is possible when one person commits their career to helping others see more clearly and live more fully.