Planet Hope

Improving sight with a smartphone – Andrew Bastawrous on ending preventable blindness

Oct 23, 2025 · 42 min · Season 3 · Episode 7 · 101.3 MB
0:00-42:13

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Over a billion people live with preventable vision loss. Eye surgeon and Rolex Awards Laureate Andrew Bastawrous has created a smartphone app that is transforming eyecare, facilitating sight restoration for millions and changing lives. He tells Tom Whipple, how glasses – a 700-year-old invention – have transformed his own life, and why he’s determined no one should lose their sight for lack of access.


Planet Hope is brought to you in paid partnership with Rolex and its Perpetual Planet Initiative. 


Guest: Andrew Bastawrous, eye surgeon and founder of Peek Vision

Host: Tom Whipple, science writer, The Times

Series Producer: Priyanka Deladia

Sound Designer: David Crackles


This podcast is advertiser funded.


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