EyeCare4Kids Partners with 1-800 Contacts to Launch Sight the World
1-800 Contacts and nonprofit EyeCare4Kids announced the launch of Sight the World, which will utilize innovative vision care technology from 1-800 Contacts to provide free glasses and contact lenses for underserved adults and children globally. The announcement comes on World Sight Day, an international day of awareness for the 2.5 billion people across the world who have vision impairment that could be corrected or could have been prevented.
Of those 2.5 billion people, more than 500 million children worldwide can’t see properly, impacting learning, development and critical growth. With many families unable to afford or access vision care, hundreds of thousands of children are left at an extreme disadvantage. With the critical services offered by Sight the World, those in need will now be able to utilize cutting-edge telemedicine tools to access virtual vision tests and receive glasses or contact lenses at no cost. Families will be able to browse styles with the same high-quality materials offered from 1-800 Contacts through both its contact lens business and glasses brand, Liingo Eyewear.
“For 25 years we’ve worked to create a better vision industry, disrupting outdated ways of doing things in favor of providing affordable and modern access to care for consumers,” John Graham, CEO of 1-800 Contacts, said in a company news release. “We are committed to improving access to eye care with our recent investment in our 6over6 mobile eye care technology, and this partnership with EyeCare4Kids and the launch of Sight the World are a critical part of that commitment. We’ve worked closely with their organization for many years, with several associates serving on their board and dedicating personal and professional time to making it the incredible success it is today. We are proud to continue our support for EyeCare4Kids as we partner with them to launch Sight the World.”
EyeCare4Kids has already provided more than 300,000 pairs of glasses to kids in need, due in part to the support from the 1-800 Contacts family of brands including Liingo Eyewear and Boomerang Lenses. With the launch of Sight the World, the organization is poised to increase its impact and is committed to providing more than 3 million pairs of glasses and contact lenses worldwide.
“Since 2001, we’ve changed the lives of over 300,000 children and families, and that number will only continue to grow with 1-800 Contacts’ support,” said Joseph Carbone, EyeCare4Kids’ founder and CEO. “Partnering with 1-800 Contacts to meet the global need for vision care felt like a natural fit to make an immediate and positive impact.”
A one-time donation of $10 covers the cost of a pair of glasses for an underserved child whose family cannot afford them. To learn more and support the cause, visit SightTheWorld.org.