VisionSpring

UN General Assembly week is always an exciting, fast-paced, and enriching experience for us! This year, we successfully hosted three events: 1️⃣ We partnered with Panorama Global for a 'Discussion on Windfall Gifts' alongside key stakeholders in the social enterprise world, focusing on the power of collaboration. 2️⃣Co-hosted a memorable reception with Warby Parker at their Rockefeller store. Our friends and allies came together to celebrate VisionSpring's work and efforts to provide clear vision to everyone. 3️⃣ VisionSpring, Warby Parker, Johnson & Johnson and the Livelihood Impact Fund joined forces for a Vision Equity Roundtable. The conversation among philanthropic leaders centered on the new and emerging research evidencing eyeglasses as a scalable, cost-effective tool for social and economic development We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us and made UN General Assembly week special.    #SocialEntrepreneurship #UNGA #UNGeneralAssembly #NYC

VisionSpring wishes a happy Rosh Hashanah to all our celebrating team members, customers, and partners. Shana Tovah! #RoshHashanah #ShanaTovah #Celebrate

Every year, more and more schoolchildren are diagnosed with Myopia. There are many ways we can address this visual impairment and parents can take a proactive role to prevent it from developing early on. Here are a few: 1️⃣ Limit screen time. Focusing on an electronic screen - often held in close proximity to the face - is a huge factor in the development of myopia. 2️⃣ Encourage your kids to spend more time outdoors. That's right, playing outdoors can hold off early onset myopia. The more kids are exposed to natural light and the more they adjust their vision to different distances, the healthier their eyes. 3️⃣ Get their eyes checked by a professional. With myopia on the rise amongst children, we should all be checking our kids' eyes regularly - at least once a year. Our See to Learn program ticks this box by visiting kids at their schools on a regular basis. 4️⃣ Ensure they wear eyeglasses if needed! If your kids already wear eyeglasses, make sure they wear them consistently. Without them, they'll be straining their eyes, potentially worsening their impairment. And remember, clear vision can help your child achieve their fullest potential at school. Make sure you're playing a role in their eye health! #Kids #Eye #Health #WorldSightDay

Happy 64th Independence Day to all customers, team members, and partners in Nigeria! #Nigeria #NigerianIndependenceDay

One of our core organizational values is to, "Constantly Adapt and Relentlessly Improve." Over the years, our 3 key programs — See to Earn, See to Learn, and See to be Safe — have all evolved to incorporate what we learn. Our 5 Keys to Success for our See to Earn program are: 1️⃣ Bring screenings to where the workers are By bringing vision screenings to workers, we can serve more people efficiently and save their time as well as the cost of traveling to seek care. 2️⃣ Provide an immediate solution Our proprietary Pop-ins™ eyeglasses allow us to provide workers with the prescription glasses they need right on-the-spot. We can screen their vision, and simply snap the correct prescription lenses into the frames they pick out. 3️⃣ Provide the dignity of choice Workers choose from a variety of colours and styles. Everyone feels more confident wearing glasses we've personally picked out, allowing us to express our individuality and feel more comfortable. 4️⃣ Link workers to higher-level care We often identify workers with issues that eyeglasses won't solve, such as cataracts or glaucoma, and refer them to local facilities that offer the treatment they need. Together, we collaborate with mission-aligned providers to ensure a continuum of care. 5️⃣ Ask workers to invest in their eyeglasses Data shows that people are willing to contribute 1-2 day’s wages to the cost of their eyeglasses. Having people invest in their own spectacles increases their agency and wearing habits. When workers have access to the eye care they need, they're able to maintain their productivity, extend their working years, and continue to care for their families. As World Sight Day approaches, let this be a reminder to #LoveYourEyes at Work. #WorldSightDay #Workers #SocialEntrepreneurship

In 2022 we met Jahanara Begum, a 50-year-old Bangladeshi garment worker was fired from her job for having “defective vision.”   She interviewed at 30 factories but was turned down at each for failing the practical sight test of threading a needle. She hid her glasses during interviews in fear that no one would hire her, but without them she couldn’t pass the test.   The last time Jahanara was turned down, she broke down in tears at the gate of one of our partner factories. A manager brought her back in to retry the test, this time with her glasses on. Jahanara passed and was hired.   As World Sight Day approaches, we are privileged to help workers like Jahanara see clearly. The stigma around eyeglasses prevents people from earning, learning and staying safe on the roads.   We routinely find that 1 out of 3 factory workers is without the eyeglasses they need to see clearly. As we close that gap, we break down the stigma that prevents people from seeking — and wearing — the eyeglasses they need.   #WorldSightDay #LoveYourEyes #Stigma #SocialEntrepreneurship #Livelihoods

At VisionSpring, we do more than improve access to eyeglasses – we also ensure that every pair we deliver is high-quality, durable, and built to last. Thanks to like-minded suppliers, we're able to provide stylish and affordable glasses without cutting any corners. They are made from quality materials, CE and ISO certified, and come with a product warranty to ensure both durability and comfort. This means that the working adults and students who receive our eyeglasses can go on about their activities with confidence, knowing they will stand the test of time. #Quality #DignityOfChoice #SocialEntrepreneurship

Since our See to Learn program launched in 2015, we have learned a lot. To serve as many schoolchildren as we can, we have identified 5 Keys to Success for the program: 1️⃣ - Bring screenings to students We set up vision screenings at schools. This allows us to serve many children in a short time, most of whom are unaware of their vision impairment and would not otherwise get help. It also reduces the burden on parents who can't afford or don't have access to basic eye care services. 2️⃣ - Provide an immediate solution Our proprietary Pop-ins™ eyeglasses allow us to dispense the prescription glasses children need on-the-spot. We screen their vision, and simply snap the correct prescription lenses into the frame chosen by the child. No lens lab or the associated logistics and delay. Children experience clear vision immediately. 3️⃣ - Reduce stigma and fear Many schoolchildren do not like the idea of wearing glasses. They are self-conscious about anything that sets them apart. To reduce fear, stigma and bullying, we show children a short video of Taniya, a young student experiencing the challenges of uncorrected blurry vision who gets her sight tested, starts wearing glasses and thrives at school. Her story demystifies the process, sparks discussion and builds support for the children getting glasses. 4️⃣ - Train teachers to pre-screen We train teachers to prescreen children. They identify those with a suspected vision impairment who go on to see our optometrists for a comprehensive sight test. After we leave, teachers serve as vision ambassadors – continuing to monitor for new vision issues, raising awareness on the importance of eye health, and ensuring children wear their eyeglasses. Teachers make the See to Learn program both efficient and effective. 5️⃣ - Offer the dignity of choice We give students a choice of their eyeglasses frames. They choose the colors and shape that express their individuality and style. Personally selecting their eyeglasses helps children feel comfortable, confident and enthusiastic about wearing their glasses. World Sight Day is just 17 days away! How are focusing on children's eye health this year? #WorldSightDay #LoveYourEyes #Kids #Eye #Health

We're thrilled to sign an agreement with the Adani Foundation - the social engagement arm of the Adani Group. The objective of this new agreement is to bring clear vision to more than 75,000 people in India by March 2025. With the support of the Adani Foundation, we'll be launching new initiatives under our See to Earn, See to Learn, and See to be Safe programs in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, and other states, focusing on reaching underserved communities. We'll also have the unique opportunity to conduct eye screenings at Adani’s ports and transportation hubs, including Mundra Port in Gujarat, India's largest commercial port. It is an honour for us to associate with #AdaniFoundation to share the wonder of clear vision with individuals and communities who need it the most, especially children. We are glad that this initiative will also benefit truckers and professional drivers, a key pillar of India’s supply chain network, helping them increase productivity, earnings, and safety. #Eye #Health #SocialEntrepreneurship #India

Clear vision is key for workers in any sector, but it's especially beneficial for artists, whose livelihoods depend on the ability to see and create. In this video, Nigerian artist Clara Aden explains how eyeglasses allow her to continue to craft beautiful artwork and free her from the fear of losing her sight. And she loved the VisionSpring eyeglasses she picked out! They suit her creative personality so well. As we count down to World Sight Day, we want to show that for workers, especially artists like Clara, clear vision isn't just about seeing better – it can be about preserving craft, culture, and livelihoods. #WorldSightDay #LoveYourEyes #WorldOfWork #DignityOfChoice #Creativity