Major CL Makers Join Coalition For Promoting Eye Health

Some of the world's leading contact lens manufacturers have joined an initiative that aims to promote eye health globally. Alcon, CooperVision and Vistakon are among the members of the newly established World Sight Day Challenge Coalition.

The list of members also includes ABB Optical Group, AllAboutVision.com, Essilor, Eyefinity, Marchon Eyewear, TLC Laser Eye Centers, Transitions Optical, Vision Source, VSP Optics Group and VSP Vision Care. These eye care industry players have been brought together through a common goal to increase awareness about the importance of eye health and help improve access to eye care. The coalition will make its contribution by supporting the Optometry Giving Sight initiative and a fundraising campaign that will take place on 10 October.

Due to lack of access to simple eye exams and products such as glasses, more than 600 million people worldwide suffer from avoidable blindness or vision impairments. As a result, their daily activities are negatively affected, as is their ability to learn and work. An annual eye exam can help these people by identifying and correcting their visual problems. Moreover, it can help detect other serious health problems, for example diabetes, many years before the symptoms become apparent.

Rob Lynch, Optometry Giving Sight board member and chief executive of VSP Global, said that every organisation in the World Sight Day Challenge Coalition had long been committed to raising eye health awareness and improving access to care. Through their combined strength, the partners will be able to spread the message further and support more projects to help people in need.