"At first, I thought I'd die." That's what an ex-Mossad (Israel's Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations) chief said about his first "operation." Yoram Hessel, now the director of Eye from Zion, wasn't talking about a secret operation for the Israel government. He was referring to sight-restoring cataract surgery that he had witnessed firsthand.

After observing about 50 cataract operations in countries such as Vietnam, China and the Muslim country of Azerbaijan, Hessel, now an international businessman with his consultancy Vintage Crown is overflowing with enthusiasm about how a relatively straightforward operation can change peoples' lives. In addition to his career in business, Hessel donates his time to Eye from Zion to restore sight to people in developing countries.