• 1 in 4 children have a vision problem that effects their learning

• EssilorLuxottica’s focus is on raising awareness about poor vision in children, the need for regular eye exams and good eye health habits.

Bangalore – At the occasion of the 21st edition of World Sight Day, EssilorLuxottica is rolling out a national campaign, raising awareness about poor eyesight in children as a global health issue and drawing parents’ attention to the importance of regular eye exams and good habits, early and throughout life. As a group, our mission is to help everyone in the world “see more, be more and live life to its fullest”.

Over 50 percent of the world’s population is expected to suffer from myopia by 2050, if no action is taken and around 3.3 billion people around the world will suffer from uncorrected vision. Visual health is one of the most underestimated concerns in India too. Almost 700 million Indian need vision correction but only around 250-260million people are today corrected.  It is also estimated that 70% of the reasons for uncorrected refractive errors are non-financial such as lack of awareness, avoidance and lack of priority.

Mr Raghavan NS, Country Manager, Essilor South Asia declared: “We have already seen that the statistics around poor eyesight in children are alarming, and the level of high uncorrected vision and associated complications are only going to increase further by 2050. To fight this trend, we must ensure that our children have a routine eye check-up, preferably once a year, with an eye care practitioner, so that preventative techniques can be used if they are at risk. Increased time outdoors and reduced time spent on near based activities including electronic device that requires constant focusing up close. Good vision is essential for our children’s’ everyday wellbeing and quality of life. Seeing well enables them to learn, work, and fully interact with the world around us. Leveraging the momentum of this year’s World Sight Day to raise awareness around this global issue is one of the many steps towards its resolution. Let’s together work towards a common goal of putting “THEIR VISION FIRST”

Today, 1 in 3 people suffer from uncorrected refractive errors and almost 20-25% children have a vision problem that affects their learning and development. Millions of children worldwide suffer from uncorrected vision problems. Considered that 80% of what a child learns is absorbed visually, these problems can have a dramatic impact on their school performance. Often they remain undetected as children don’t even realize why they are struggling at school – they assume they are not sharp enough, or are told as much by cruel peers or uninformed teachers. The impact of visual difficulties is indeed not limited to people’s childhood , they can result in reduced adult literacy which has a significant impact on one’s professional and social fulfilment.

This national initiative is being rolled out as; EssilorLuxottica is launching a global campaign focused on poor eyesight in children as a global health issue, with core target being parents who have the most crucial need to take action- to check their children’s vision. Focused on raising awareness about poor vision in children, the need for regular eye exams and good eye health habits, the campaign invites readers to visit our www.putvisionfirst.com website. The website lets visitors learn more on the importance of good vision when it comes to children’s’ future and take action through an accessible online vision-screening test. Our key objective is to explain how parents can ensure a clearer and brighter future for their children.