Essilor Vision Foundation is partnering with the India Vision Institute (IVI) to conduct a series of vision screening programs and provide free spectacles for those disadvantaged communities who lost their spectacles in the recent floods which have caused wide-spread destruction in Chennai.
“The vision screening campaign is a modest effort to provide spectacles to those from underprivileged communities who lost them in the recent floods, along with other belongings”, said Mr Vinod Daniel, CEO of IVI .
“Essilor Vision Foundation is pleased to partner with IVI in this flood relief campaign and provide spectacles to those needy people diagnosed with refractive errors so that they can enjoy a better life through better sight.” added Mr Dharmaprasad Rai, Head of the Essilor Vision Foundation India.
A total of 300 people have been screened so far, with 156 receiving a pair of eyeglasses, and 61 referred for eye examinations. Further campaigns are planned across flood affected areas in and around Chennai over the next four weeks.
In parallel, Essilor employees in India have showed solidarity with colleagues whose homes and belongings were washed away during the floods, donating generously and generating a matching contribution from Essilor India to support employees and customers. An appeal has also been launched by the Essilor Group at a regional level to show support to Indian colleagues affected by the floods and to help rebuild the community of Chennai. Contributions will be put towards the reconstruction of homes and businesses.
India Vision Institute is focused on supporting and promoting awareness, research, education and
technological development in Indian optometry to advance capacity in vision correction and prevention
of blindness.