Eye health was in the global spotlight this past week in observance of World Sight Day.
There was an outpouring of financial support and initiatives undertaken to address the needs of the more than 2 billion people worldwide who suffer from vision impairment.
The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness already has declared this year’s World Sight Day a rousing success. IAPB, which spearheads World Sight Day advocacy, tallied more than 5 million sight test pledges from individuals and organizations across the globe.
But securing eye health for all isn’t a one-day affair. It is an ongoing effort that will take years to achieve.
CooperVision
CooperVision sent a special delegation to the United Nations headquarters in New York. Company executives joined IAPB leaders in advocating for eye health screenings and services in schools worldwide. CooperVision officials were among a select group of individuals from the healthcare and eyecare industries to offer guidance and expertise to members of the World Health Organization.
The eye health outreach efforts at the U.N. culminated on World Sight Day.
The IAPB presented a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling on him to appoint a Special Envoy on Vision. This individual would work to meet the global commitment to help the more than 1 billion people who lack access to basic eye care services.
CooperVision was among the signatories of the letter.
OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation also sent a delegation to the U.N. for a series of events connected with World Sight Day.
The Foundation recently launched its “Right to See” campaign, which is dedicated to bringing vision care to those who need it across the globe. To help raise awareness, the Foundation hosted various engagement opportunity events and a vision screening event for United Nations Ambassadors and other world leaders. The vision screening was held jointly with Friends of Vision group of United Nations Member States, an assembly that consists of representatives from more than 50 countries.
The events were a part of a continuing effort at the United Nations to address global eye health. The U.N. General Assembly in July 2021 adopted a resolution to address preventable sight loss across the globe.
“As the largest vision care foundation, we are taking the vision care crisis head-on, committed to using all our resources to ensure every human sees a bright future, starting with the world’s youngest citizens,” says Anurag Hans, Head of EssilorLuxottica Mission & Head of OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation.
In related news, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation has announced a partnership with Berkeley Vision Institute as part of “The Right to See” campaign. The Foundation plans additional partnerships with organizations that are committed to bringing vision care and promoting eye health to communities worldwide.
You can read more about these efforts at OneSight.EssilorLuxottica.com.
Correction: A previous version of this story included information from World Sight Day 2021.
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Good Views is where we catch up on positive news, updates, and tidbits from the world of eyewear and eyecare. Have something you’d like to share for a future digest post? Send it my way! jens.carlson@smartworkmedia.com.