SAN RAFAEL, Calif.—RestoringVision, a small nonprofit based here which distributes reading glasses to those in need the developing world, marks two milestones this month with the celebration of the organization’s 10-year anniversary and the charitable distribution of a collective two million pairs of reading glasses and sunglasses in developing countries around the globe.
 
RestoringVision works to change the lives of those people unable to read, maintain a job, or remain a productive member of their community because they can’t focus close up and lack access to a simple tool; reading glasses.
 
"It is estimated that about 800M people in the developing world are unable to see clearly simply because they do not have access to glasses.  About half of these people only need a simple pair of reading glasses to read or see up close. RestoringVision is solving that problem.” said Mark Sachs, CEO and founder of the organization, which has worked in partnership with over 700 humanitarian groups in over 75 countries.
 
“Without the ability to focus close up and see clearly, an individual loses their livelihood and self esteem, a family loses much-needed income and a community loses a productive member of their society,” added David Chute, CEO of i2C Ventures and a RestoringVision board member.
 
Donations of excess inventory of new readers and sunglasses from eyewear companies make the effort possible, as well as a network of humanitarian groups who distribute readers and sunglasses on their mission trips. “Two million is a fantastic number; we are very happy to have made such an impact in our first ten years, but there is much more work to be done and we need to spread the word to mission and humanitarian aid groups who work internationally to help us in this effort,” said Sachs.
 
“Right now, we have thousands of pairs of new readers and sunglasses from leading eyewear companies in warehouses ready for good Samaritans to distribute in developing countries. But we want to make more groups aware of how simple it is to get the glasses and learn how to set up a simple dispensary. We also want to make more eyewear companies aware of our progress.”