NLIGHTENMENT Philanthropy
Making Clear Vision Possible for the Underprivileged by Tan Sher Lynn
ou and I probably won’t have to think twice about changing our glasses if our optical power changes, or even just for the sake of fashion. But do you know that 2.5 billion people – which is one-third of the world’s population – have no access to glasses? Eyeglasses are a low-cost, highimpact intervention that boost earning potential, learning outcomes, road safety and overall quality of life. Yet, despite the fact that eyeglasses are a 700-year-old technology, many lowincome individuals at the base of the economic pyramid do not have access to them. Therefore, VisionSpring, a social enterprise founded in 2001 by eye doctor Dr. Jordan Kassalow, aims to address this issue by delivering affordable spectacles and vision care where they’re needed the most.
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A Business Model that Changes Community
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“VisionSpring works to accelerate the diffusion of eyeglasses to those who need them the most. We firmly believe that by democratizing vision and bridging the gap between those who have clear vision and those who don’t, we can change the world,” said Dr. Kassalow. According to Dr. Kassalow, 2.5 billion people need eyeglasses and 624 million are visually impaired, costing the global economy an estimated $227 billion each year. In short, this problem is too big to be solved with just charity and philanthropy. “A problem this big requires market-based solutions. The people we serve are our customers, not beneficiaries. People who earn less than $4 per day will pay 1 to 2 days’ wages for eyeglasses. They have purchasing power and will invest in their ability
December/January 2020
to see clearly, to keep working, care for their families, etc.,” continued Dr. Kassalow. “We work to ensure that firsttime vision screening and eyeglasses reach all those billions who need them, regardless of location or means. Our business model enables us to provide these individuals with vision screenings and glasses at subsidized prices, if they aren’t sponsored entirely.” Since 2001, the company has created over $1 billion in global economic impact through their work to provide glasses to children and those earning less than $4 per day to address uncorrected refractive error. “VisionSpring is not the traditional non-profit organization, but rather a social enterprise which adopts a blended model that enables it to be supported by a combination of revenue-generating business streams (25%) and philanthropic investment (75%),” he explained.
