Ballito optometrist Andile Pieterson is turning her childhood struggle with poor vision into a mission to help disadvantaged children access proper eye care.

A mother of two, Pieterson has more than 15 years’ experience as a qualified optometrist.

Raised by a single mother of five in an underprivileged community, she and her twin sister, Ayanda, lived with visual impairment but could not afford proper eye care.

“We know what it feels like to sit in a classroom and not see clearly. That experience shaped our purpose. We studied optometry because we wanted to make sure other children would not face the same challenges,” she said.

Together with her sister, who lives in Durban, she co-founded TwinsOnEyes, an initiative that raises awareness about vision in underprivileged schools and provides free spectacles to children in need.

Pieterson has a special interest in paediatric vision and behavioural optometry and qualified as a dyslexia specialist through the Stark Griffin Dyslexia Academy.

“Vision plays a critical role in learning and development. When we address visual barriers early, we give children a fair chance to succeed academically,” she said.

She has lectured in the optometry department at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and worked in private practice.

Pieterson currently runs two practices, in Umhlali and Port Shepstone, focusing on communities with limited access to quality eye care.

Her work has earned several awards, including the Women of Wonder Award (2022), the Gagasi Shero Award (2023) and the Icon of Africa Award (2025). She was also crowned Mrs South Africa Mrs Photogenic 2022.

Beyond healthcare, Pieterson is a motivational speaker, philanthropist and co-founder of SheHeals SheLeads Africa.

She also serves as a brand ambassador for local NGO, The RiseUp Movement, which combats gender-based violence, human trafficking and child abuse.

“My mission is simple: quality eye care should not be a privilege. It is a basic right,” she said.

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