1.2 billion people need our help to see. All global communities suffer from avoidable blindness or problems associated with vision simply because they do not have access to low-cost vision exams and eyeglasses. Optometry Giving Sight aims to permanently solve this problem.
Optometry Giving Sight was founded in 2003 as a joint initiative of the World Council of Optometry, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and the Brien Holden Vision Institute to face the debilitating problem of visual impairment all over the world.
With the support of companies in the optical and optometric industry, optometry professionals and individual donors, the association finances programmes to provide eye care to underprivileged communities, to train optical professionals on site and to create sustainable infrastructures in developing countries.
The financed projects
Beginning in 2003, thanks to funds raised, Optometry Giving Sight has financed projects with over 23 million dollars, with these results:
- 7.6 million people have used basic eye care services
- 14,000 opticians and optometrists trained in developing countries
- 133 centres established for vision care. Each of which serves an average of 3000 people each year.
- 40 countries around the world have used our support.
Optometry Giving Sight Italia and Optometry Giving Sight USA join forces
Optometry Giving Sight Italia and Optometry Giving Sight USA will become a single entity. The decision has been widely shared by both organisations in order to increase their impact and make a difference. The work of OGS will continue on a global level with a focus on Africa and Asia.
This decision is based on the desire to guarantee that Optometry Giving Sight can obtain more significant and sustainable results to benefit the millions of people suffering from avoidable blindness.