Uncorrected poor vision is a widespread issue affecting over 2.7 billion people worldwide. For certain populations, the effects of poor eyesight can be devastating. Take refugees for example, the inability to see properly can impact their ability to adapt, communicate and learn in their new environments.

We’ve teamed up with United Nations High Committee for Refugees (UNHCR), Light Without Borders, Medecins Sans Frontieres and Bairamoglou – a leader in the ophthalmic lenses market in Greece – to provide refugees in Greece with critical vision screenings and prescription glasses to those in need.

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Volunteers Offer Significant Service

An estimated 200,000 refugees reside in Greece, which is a high volume for a country with a population of 10.5 million. A vision clinic was held in Athens, where the largest population of refugees in the country live. Volunteers from EssilorLuxottica, seven optometrists from Greece and a volunteer from Grand Optical in Greece worked quickly to administer free eye exams and deliver over 400 eyeglasses to refugee residents and locals living in underprivileged communities during the recent vision clinic.

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Karmelo Modina, an optometrist and volunteer from the United Kingdom, shared, “It is important for me to be a part of this project because I always wanted to be an optometrist to help people and volunteering my skills seems to be the most fulfilling. Whenever I do this type of work, it does not feel like work and with the refugee crisis in this country, I felt it was important for me to be here and a part of this project.”

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The Beginning of a Powerful Partnership

The vision clinic in Greece marks the beginning of an ongoing partnership between our Foundation, the UNHCR, Light Without Borders, Medicins Sans Frontieres and Bairamoglou. These partnership efforts focus on furthering the vision care cause, with emphasis on funding subsidized and free services and driving advocacy and awareness.

We’re dedicated to the mission of eliminating uncorrected poor vision in a generation by creating permanent access to eyewear solutions and through an innovative approach to philanthropy, partnerships and awareness of optical issues.

The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation Delivers Critical Eyecare to Refugees in Greece

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