Dr. Akef El Maghraby is the founder and chairman of the Maghrabi Eye Hospitals and Centers across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. He established 5 non-profit eye hospitals in Bangladesh, Yemen, Sudan, Lebanon, and Egypt, offering free or low-cost treatments and surgeries for underprivileged patients. His dedication to preventing blindness in underdeveloped nations was pivotal in founding the International Federation of Eye Banks. Additionally, he established the Magraby Eye Foundation, the first non-profit organization in the Middle East dedicated to blindness prevention, and led the Middle East African Council of Ophthalmology for 18 years. Dr. El Maghraby facilitated the transfer of ophthalmological technologies from Western countries to the Middle East and founded the Magrabi-ICO Cameroon Eye Institute, the first sub-specialty, non-profit hospital in Central Africa. His efforts led to the establishment of the annual International Blindness Prevention Award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Dr. El Maghraby has operated and lectured in 23 countries worldwide and has 29 publications to his name. He has received numerous international awards and honors, including the Lion Badge of Honor from the President of Senegal in 1993 and the Cedar of Lebanon from the President of Lebanon in 2001.