What We Do

Why Eyeglasses

< Precise work would not be possible for this jeweler without glasses
See well, Do well
Eyesight is critical for working and learning
$3 Trillion is the annual cost of vision loss on the global economy. >90% of this cost falls on low and middle-income countries. 733 million people suffer from vision loss worldwide. 563 million people can have their vision restored with a pair of eyeglasses.

The Problem

As anyone with eyeglasses knows, it is a struggle to work, learn and perform daily tasks without this basic tool. In the developing world however, eyeglasses are primarily a product for the wealthy. Low-income people almost universally lack access to affordable glasses. Without eyeglasses, artisans and mechanics cannot see their goods, shopkeepers cannot manage their accounts, and teachers cannot instruct in class. A drop in productivity and income among workers can push already-vulnerable families further into poverty.

According to an AMD Alliance International study, the global cost of vision loss was nearly $3 trillion dollars ($2,954 billion USD) for the 733 million people living with poor vision and blindness worldwide in 2010. This cost includes caregiver costs, informal caregiver time, lost productivity, and inefficiencies in raising tax revenue to fund health care. Along with limiting economic opportunity, vision loss prevents these hundreds of millions of people from living full, independent lives. Their quality of life suffers as formerly self-sufficient people are forced to rely on others for mobility and everyday activities like counting money, telling time and managing their home.

The Solution

Eyeglasses are an established, cost effective intervention that immediately improves the productivity and quality of life of the poor in the developing world in a dramatic way. By purchasing a pair of $4 eyeglasses, individuals receive a 35% increase in productivity, earning roughly an additional $381 over a two year period. This boost in productivity is enough to keep a child in school, allows an artisan to grow her business, and prevents families from declining into poverty.

VisionSpring brings high-quality, low-cost vision care to neglected communities across the developing world. As a social enterprise, VisionSpring leverages best practices from both charity and business to develop a model capable of taking on the enormous global need for vision care.

> find out more on Our Impact page


YOUR IMPACT:


Each dollar contributed to VisionSpring creates more than $55 of social impact in the developing world.
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