King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Madinah Launches Mobile Eye Unit to Expand Community Screening and Early Detection

King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Madinah has launched the Eye Truck, a specialised mobile unit that brings community eye screening and early detection to communities in Madinah and the surrounding areas, and opens direct referral pathways into specialised services for evaluation, treatment and follow up.

The unit carries equipment for screening preventable eye diseases and vision threatening conditions, including diabetic retinopathy, and for identifying cases that require further specialised assessment. Suspected and confirmed cases are moved through referral pathways into the hospital’s specialised services for evaluation, treatment and follow up.

Dr. Zohair Ahmed Khouqeer, Chairman of Ophthalmology Department at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Madinah, said: "Many vision threatening conditions are only found after treatment has already been delayed, because the patient feels nothing at the start. The mobile unit carries community screening and early detection into neighborhoods and schools across Madinah, and opens referral pathways into our specialised services for evaluation, treatment and follow up."

Alongside screening, the unit supports eye health awareness campaigns, health education and community outreach activities, including school screening initiatives, working with healthcare providers, community organisations and schools to strengthen referral pathways and coordinate community eye care.

The initiative widens the reach of preventive and screening services beyond the hospital setting, reinforcing the patient centered model of care and aligning with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 in improving quality of life, widening access to healthcare and adopting innovative models of care delivery.

Following the launch, the unit begins a schedule of community screening campaigns, awareness activities and early detection work at sites across the region, with identified cases referred for evaluation, treatment and follow up.

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 12th globally among the world's top 250 academic medical centres for 2026. It was also recognised as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East for 2026, according to Brand Finance, and listed by Newsweek among the World's Best Hospitals, World's Best Smart Hospitals and World's Best Specialized Hospitals for 2026.