Kovin Naidoo, CEO, Brien Holden Vision Institute.
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NEW YORK—Our Children’s Vision is a major new initiative of the non-profit Brien Holden Vision Institute and Vision For Life fund, created by Essilor, aiming for every child, everywhere to have access to eyecare. On April 12, Optometry Giving Sight co-hosted the official launch of the Our Children’s Vision Campaign at the Australian Consulate in New York.

The campaign seeks to bring together governments, development agencies, the private sector, eye health practitioners and communities with the goal of screening 50 million children worldwide for vision impairments by 2020.

“All of us can appreciate the importance of good vision— not just for ourselves and our families, but for the many children around the world who don’t have access to the vision care services they need,” said Dr. Juan Carlos Aragon, global chair of Optometry Giving Sight. “After all, if you can’t see, you can’t learn, and that condemns many in the developing world to a life of poverty and disadvantage.”


Dr. Juan Carlos Aragon, global chair of Optometry Giving Sight.
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Uncorrected vision can have a big impact on young people’s lives, the company said. “They can’t play outside safely, so they struggle to make friends. They can’t see the chalkboard, so they struggle to learn,” said Jayanth Bhuvaraghan, chairman of the Vision For Life fund and chief corporate mission officer at Essilor International. “They are hindered in every aspect of their life and it doesn’t stop at childhood.”

According to the company, recent research from the Brien Holden Vision Institute indicates that by 2050 half of the world’s population— 4.76 billion people— will suffer from myopia and most of them will need eyeglasses.

“We are potentially facing the biggest public health challenge of our generation. This trend can be slowed down through preventative or corrective care, but only if a child is reached while their eyes are still developing,” said professor Kovin Naidoo, CEO, Brien Holden Vision Institute and campaign director for Our Children’s Vision. “An effective eye health program in schools would have an unprecedented impact. Our Children’s Vision is a call to action— to come together to ensure that effective, inclusive, sustainable eye health solutions are available to every child everywhere.”

Optometry Giving Sight is a global partner in the campaign, along with leading sunglass brand Revo through the ‘Buy Vision Give Sight’ initiative. The campaign is endorsed by the World Council of Optometry and the International Council of Ophthalmology. To date, 34 international and national organizations have joined Our Children’s Vision.

Members of the optometric community who are interested in learning more about the campaign and how to get involved are invited to contact Optometry Giving Sight at ogs@givingsight.org.