Debra Winger

Debra: came in to the studio on a stop-over from Africa

You may think that there is a huge gulf between the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and the film industry, and the tireless efforts of charity workers in third world countries.

But Debra Winger's career has seen her bridge that gap by working as a successful actress earning three Oscar nominations, and now as an ambassador for the charity Sight Savers.

She has just returned from Kenya where she's been working with the charity at the 'sharp end'.

Debra joined us live on the Breakfast sofa to tell us all about her work

She has every reason to be interested in the work of Sight Savers. At the age of 17 she fell from a pick-up truck and was left paralysed and temporarily blind.

Her sight eventually came back after a year, and during this time she decided that she wanted to be an actress.

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Her trip to Kenya gave her the opportunity to share her experience with blind people, and to see how some of them were being treated to restore their sight.

Debra saw for herself how people were able to overcome their disability and the amazing difference it made to their lives.

Blindness facts Cataract is the main cause of blindness The condition causes cloudiness of the lens in the eye Trachoma causes 10 to 15 % of the world's blindness The most preventable form of blindness is Trachoma Trachoma is spread by flies and cross infection

She spent quite a bit of time with people recovering from Cataract surgery often seeing the moment when for many sight was restored, and also visited a school where blind children were integrated into mainstream schools.

Much of her time was spent with outreach workers to prevent blindness in the Masai tribe in the stunning Masai Mara National Park.

Sight Savers

The charity has worked for the past 50 years to restore the sight of over five million people, with a total of 58 million being treated.

It says that many of the world's blind people could be treated and their sight restored, in the case of cataract surgery this can cost as little as £17. Just 50 pence can cure the disease trachoma.

Debra says when she was approached by Sight Savers, she was happy to act as an ambassador for it because of her personal experience of blindness.

She says it was Audrey Hepburn who once told her that there would come a time when she should try and 'give something back' otherwise she might be left feeling empty.

Oscar Nominations

Debra's success as an actress has been built on many films but three have earned her Oscar nominations: Shadowlands, An Officer and a Gentleman and Terms of Endearment.

She's worked alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins, Richard Gere and Shirley MacLaine to name but a few.

She doesn't return the silver screen very often, but now concentrates on her charity work - she says the words from Audrey Hepburn "went deep and have been there like an ember."