Essilor Vision Foundation partners with India Vision Institute to bring quality eye care to Chennai’s marginalized

Essilor Vision Foundation partners with India Vision Institute to bring quality eye care to Chennai’s marginalized communities during COVID-19

 Essilor Vision Foundation (EVF) India and India Vision Institute (IVI) launched a program to provide free access to quality eye care services to 3,000 people from marginalized communities in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. 

Jointly implemented by EVF and IVI over a period of three months, the program offers free vision screening to 3,000 people from marginalized communities including auto-rickshaw drivers, fisherfolks and daily wage workers, and free glasses to those who with refractive errors. Many of these beneficiaries live in semi-urban areas with limited access to eye care services.

The screenings will adhere strictly to COVID-19 health and safety protocols with optometrists wearing full personal protective gear and sanitization processes put in place, ensuring the safety of everyone involved.

According to Essilor’s recently published report, “Eliminating Poor Vision in a Generation”, a roadmap on what it will take to eliminate uncorrected refractive errors by 2050. Uncorrected poor vision is the world’s largest unaddressed disability and a public health crisis today. It affects 1 in 3 or 2.7 billion people, 90% of whom live in developing economies. India has the largest population of people – 0.6 billion – suffering from uncorrected poor vision in the world today.

 “Eye conditions, including uncorrected poor vision, is a serious global health issue that won’t improve on its own. That’s why Essilor, together with our dedicated partners like India Vision Institute, will continue to champion eye health and work for the 1 in 3 people who cannot see the world clearly in a socially responsible and safe way during these times of COVID-19,” Milind, Jadhav, Senior Director - Inclusive Business & Philanthropy – South Asia and Trustee of Essilor Vision Foundation India.

 “The India government has put out a call in the nation to ensure that essential health services continue to be provided safely to those who require them during the pandemic. We, at India Vision Institute, are heeding the call together with our partners such as Essilor, to provide vision care to everyone, especially those from underserved communities because good vision will help children and adults alike to live up to their full potential and become active contributors to India’s growth,“  Vinod Daniel , CEO India Vision Institute

Essilor Vision Foundation partners with ARCOD NGO and India Vision Institute

 Essilor Vision Foundation partners with ARCOD NGO and India Vision Institute to bring eye care to disadvantaged children and their caregivers in Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu

About 300 children who suffer from a chronic disease and their 200 caregivers (parents and guardians, were provided with free eye care in Krishnagiri recently.

160 people received a free pair of spectacles which will help them live better.

About Essilor Vision Foundation (EVF)

 Essilor Vision Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Essilor International, the world’s leading ophthalmic optics company. In order to help address the global issue of uncorrected poor vision that affects over 2.5 billion people around the world, Essilor Vision Foundation promotes access to good vision through free screenings and the provision of corrective glasses to communities in need.  

About ARCOD (Association for Rural Community Development )

ARCOD is a grass root voluntary organization registered under Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act 1975, established in 1988, at Rayakottai, Krishnagiri District (Formerly Dharmapuri District).

The key objective of ARCOD is to achieve social, economic, political, and health empowerment of women and children in operational areas through sustainable programs. Through a program called Children of Krishna Giri, ARCOD works with over 300 plus children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS and their care takers.

About India Vision Institute (IVI)

India Vision Institute (IVI) is an independent, not-for-profit registered trust established in 2012. It is focused on supporting and promoting eye health awareness, research, education and technological development in Indian Optometry to advance capacity in vision correction, and prevention of eye disease and blindness. (www.indiavisioninstitute.org )

Mahesh : We are happy to collaborate with ARCOD and NGO and India Vision Institute  to bring good vision to the Children of Krishnagiri and is this initiative is aligned to the objective of Essilor Vision Foundation in bringing  “Better Life Through Better Sight”.