MEXICO CITY—Leaders from the Mexican optometric and optical industry came together on Jan. 14 to celebrate the launch of the global not-for-profit organization Optometry Giving Sight in Mexico at an exclusive event at the MELIA Hotel here.

Optometry Giving Sight is a global fundraising initiative that specifically targets the prevention of blindness and impaired vision due to uncorrected refractive error—the need for an eye exam and glasses. It funds sustainable eye and vision care projects in underserved communities in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe.

“Refractive error blindness and impaired vision is one of the greatest public health problems in the world and Mexico is no exception, with 44 percent of the population of 110 million lacking access to eye health services,” explained Dr. Juan Carlos Aragon, global chair of Optometry Giving Sight. “In Mexico, our focus will be the development of more and better schools of optometry and the development of the required infrastructure to ensure that Mexico has the necessary human resources to tackle this growing public health problem," he said.

Global and local companies including Devlyn, CooperVision, Alcon, Johnson & Johnson, Essilor, Safilo, Valeant, Bausch + Lomb, Carl Zeiss Vision, Marchon, Lucy’s Optical, Groupo Europeo, Groupo Viva, Polimeros Opticos and Opticas America welcomed Optometry Giving Sight’s arrival in Mexico and unanimously pledge their support to collaborate and improve access to sustainable eyecare in Mexico, according to a statement from Optometry Giving Sight.  Founding partners the World Council of Optometry, Brien Holden Vision Institute and International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness were also in attendance.

“Thanks to our strategic alliance with the Devlyn Group, we will launch our global fundraising campaign here in 2014 and collaborate to raise funds for projects in Mexico,” said Christina Sanko, country manager for Optometry Giving Sight. Devlyn, a family owned optical business in Mexico, has an extensive network of over 900 retail outlets and more than 4,000 employees.  

Patrick Devlyn, general director of Devlyn USC said, “The world is changing. So is Mexico as a country. In the Devlyn Group, we are committed to meet the changing needs of our customers to provide access to high quality eyecare and in ensuring that our staff is able to provide the care required. Our strategic alliance with Optometry Giving Sight is an important strategy for us to lead and contribute to the mobilization of resources in Mexico to support this. I personally urge all players in the industry to join this new and exciting initiative and show their affection for the Mexican population’s well-being."