…Launches new range of eyeglasses for dignity of choice
Over 70 million Nigerians are said to have uncorrected blurry vision, indicating that about 32 percent of Nigerians do not have access to affordable eyeglasses needed to see clearly, VisionSpring have said.
This was disclosed in Lagos during the recent launch of a new eyeglasses range tagged, the ‘Dignity of Choice’ for everyone aimed at tackling blurry vision in Nigeria.
According to VisionSpring, the new range of eyeglasses is custom created to close the gap in vision care between low- and high-income communities.
Accordingly, it said further that about one in three Nigerians just need a simple pair of eyeglasses to see clearly. However, many of those who need eyeglasses are in low-income communities and do not have the required resources to afford it.
“Eyeglasses don’t just help us to see better, they are a part of our identity and our personal style. At VisionSpring we believe that every eyeglasses-wearer should be able to choose a pair of frames that they love,” Ella Gudwin, CEO, VisionSpring, said.
According to Gudwin, Nigerians will be able to buy eyeglasses made from high quality materials in 23 colours and in 29 unique styles. “That’s why we’ve launched this brand-new range, with a wide selection of styles and colours, available at a price point that works for every customer. Everyone deserves the dignity of choosing glasses that they are excited to wear.”
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Gabriel Ogunyemi, African regional director, said eyeglasses can improve a person’s ability to do a wide variety of day-to-day activities and have been shown through academic research to help people increase their productivity at work and enhance their well-being.
According to him, VisionSpring is a social enterprise committed to accelerating the use of affordable eyeglasses. He said further that a recent study published earlier this year found that incomes of people in low-income communities can grow by a third when they start wearing eyeglasses.
However, a combination of a lack of affordable eyeglasses and stigma associated with wearing eyeglasses prevents Nigerians from getting the glasses they need to see clearly. “To address this problem, VisionSpring is launching a new range of eyeglasses with a broad array of styles and colours,” Ogunyemi said.
According to him, there will be affordable frames, specifically targeted at lower incomes, as well as mid-range and more premium products. He disclosed that fundamental to the firm’s approach to vision correction is the belief that all customers must be provided with choice, which is why a spectrum of colours and styles is being made available at all the different price points.
“Design is the major factor for every customer, no matter their income level. You have people coming to the outreach camps to choose their preferred colours and shapes and sometimes you even find them wanting to match their eyeglasses to their outfits. Giving people a choice matters,” Musa Mutali, CEO, Fatima iCare, said.
Mutali, who is also a senior lecturer at the University of Benin, disclosed that Fatima iCare has partnered with VisionSpring in the past five years to screen the vision of its patients and provide eyeglasses to those in need.
