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Join IAPBDr Mattan Arazi is an ophthalmology resident, global health researcher, and Co-Founder of Sheba Global Ophthalmology (SGO) at Sheba Medical Center in Israel. He has been instrumental in establishing SGO as an academic center addressing disparities in global eye health. Positioned at the crossroads of the Middle East, SGO delivers sustainable solutions for underserved populations while contributing to global efforts to eliminate preventable blindness.
A rising academic global ophthalmologist, Mattan graduated valedictorian from the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology and achieved the highest national score on Israel’s Ophthalmology Residency National Examination. He has published extensively in academic journals, authored book chapters, and serves as Clinical Coordinator for the Global Retinoblastoma Study. His research spans global eye health priorities, including barriers to cataract surgical coverage in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), RAAB-based surgical outcomes, malarial retinopathy in India, studies on trachoma, and global retinoblastoma research aimed at improving access and reducing disparities.
Mattan has also made a significant impact through his initiatives. The Silk Road Retinoblastoma Project created a cross-border referral system, enabling Afghan children with retinoblastoma to access life-saving care in Pakistan. By overcoming geopolitical and logistical barriers, the project offers a scalable model for equitable healthcare collaboration in fragmented systems. This pathway facilitated the transfer of 40% of late-stage cases from Kabul to Pakistan through multidisciplinary consultations, telemedicine-supported evaluations, logistical coordination, and diplomatic efforts.
Recently appointed as Co-Chair of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Humanitarian Response Working Group, Mattan champions integrating eye health into emergency and humanitarian frameworks. His vision includes prioritizing eye health in crisis response, developing scalable interventions, establishing robust referral pathways, and promoting specialized training to address critical gaps in resource-limited regions. He initiated the Middle East Global Ophthalmology Taskforce as a platform to tackle regional disparities in eye care and envisions it as a catalyst for collaboration across the geopolitical region.
Deeply committed to addressing epistemic injustice in global health research, Mattan empowers researchers in the Global South to lead locally relevant studies, including through the SGO Research-Link platform. He advocates for elevating marginalized voices, challenging historical power imbalances, and fostering equity in knowledge production and global health policy.
Currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health in Eye Care at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Mattan continues to lead with innovation, collaboration, and advocacy. Recognized with the 2023 David Hunter Cherwek, MD Award for Global Ophthalmology, his work is shaping the future of global eye health and advancing equity for underserved populations worldwide.