ADVF Launches Sight-Restoring Pilot Medical Mission in Costa Rica in Partnership with Envision Festival 2026
Landmark collaboration unites global vision care, local expertise, and cultural partnership to restore sight in San José
Dr. Paul Dougherty and Dr. Claudio Orlich with patient Arturo during Costa Rica pilot medical mission 2026
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica – February 19, 2026 – The Andrew Dougherty Vision Foundation (ADVF), a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to eliminating preventable blindness worldwide, today announced the launch of its pilot medical mission in Costa Rica — a landmark collaboration uniting global vision care, local medical expertise, and cultural partnership in San José.
In partnership with Envision Festival 2026, Costa Rican ophthalmologist Dr. Claudio Orlich, and the Vision Innovation Institute (VII), ADVF is delivering sight-restoring cataract surgery to pre-screened patients at Clinica 20/20 — Dr. Orlich's ophthalmic surgical center in San José, Costa Rica.
A New Model for Delivering Global Eye Care
Surgeries are taking place today, February 19, 2026, with ADVF Founder and ophthalmologist Dr. Paul J. Dougherty performing procedures under the supervision of Dr. Claudio Orlich, the surgeon of record. A select group of pre-screened patients will receive cataract surgery with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation — a procedure that can permanently restore functional vision. Intraocular lenses for the mission have been generously donated by Alcon, a global leader in eye care.
This Costa Rica pilot builds on a pivotal year for ADVF: in 2025, the Foundation completed fully operational medical missions in Morocco and Tijuana, Mexico, restoring sight to hundreds of patients through cataract surgery and comprehensive ophthalmic care. Those missions demonstrated ADVF's capacity to deliver high-quality, ethical care in diverse global settings through close coordination with licensed local physicians and medical partners.
Mission-Aligned Partnerships
The pilot reflects ADVF's strategic partnership with the Vision Innovation Institute (VII), which focuses on developing scalable, sustainable solutions to address global vision loss. This collaboration pairs immediate, sight-restoring treatment with long-term innovation for lasting global impact.
"Envision has always stood for consciousness in action. This collaboration allows that ethos to translate into tangible, life-changing care within the communities we touch."
— Matt Baxter & David Weber, Co-Founders, Connected Creators / Envision Festival
"This collaboration represents a new model for delivering care. By partnering with trusted local physicians and mission-aligned collaborators, we can deliver high-quality cataract surgery while building ethical, sustainable pathways for global impact."
— Dr. Paul J. Dougherty, Founder & Ophthalmologist, ADVF
Coming Soon: Speaking at Envision Festival
ADVF will also be represented at the Envision Festival in Uvita, Costa Rica, where Dr. Dougherty will present on the Foundation's mission to eliminate preventable blindness by 2050 on Wednesday the 25th at 12:30pm
The Costa Rica pilot is designed as a proof of concept for future partnerships between cultural institutions and global health organizations — a replicable model that can scale to bring vision care to millions more who need it.
Support the Mission
Help Us Restore Sight in Costa Rica
Your donation directly funds patient care, surgical supplies, and our medical team's work on the ground. Every dollar brings us closer to a world free from preventable blindness.