BANGKOK – 12 OCTOBER, 2021 - HOYA Vision Care, a leader in optical technology innovation, today announced a partnership with Orbis International, a global organization that mentors, trains, and inspires local eye care professionals to save sight in their communities. This strategic partnership marks a significant step in HOYA’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, which is aimed at bridging the vision care gap around the world.
Globally, nearly 2.2 billion people have vision impairment or blindness, where nearly half of these cases could be prevented or treated with adequate access to vision care. Orbis is dedicated to reducing avoidable blindness by strengthening eye health systems and providing education across the world, and as an industry leader in the eye-care sector, HOYA is committed to being part of the solution and to providing education and resources to address vision inequality head-on.
“Our partnership with Orbis is an excellent first step to implement HOYA’s social vision and enact genuine, positive change for vision care around the world,”
“We hope that together we can go beyond solving short-term vision issues and make a long-term impact globally. At HOYA, we have the ability and responsibility to make a difference.”
Alexandre Montague, CEO of HOYA Vision Care.
HOYA will support Orbis International in its mission to address vision inequality by promoting eye-care services, providing communities across the world with access to sight-saving interventions, and increasing eye-health literacy and education.
Amongst the initiatives supported is the REACH (Refractive Error Among Children) program. With REACH, Orbis enables students’ access to in-school vision care by working with partner hospitals to train teachers to perform basic eye examinations. The program, based in India and Nepal, has an emphasis on helping girls, who are less likely to seek care.
Additionally, HOYA will contribute knowledge to Orbis’s online learning platform, Cybersight. The platform aims to increase eye health skills and enable eye care professionals (ECPs) in low- and middle-income countries to treat and prevent blindness and visual impairment.
“We are excited to benefit from the knowledge of HOYA’s employees and eye care professionals which will help raise greater awareness about vision inequality in communities around the world. We hope that, together, we can make a larger impact than ever before,”
Derek Hodkey, President & CEO of Orbis International.
HOYA Vision Care will continue to roll out its CSR initiatives over the months ahead, partnering around the world with key eye care organizations focused on bridging the vision care gap and bringing about tangible change.
Orbis is a leading global non-governmental organization that has been a pioneer in the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness for nearly four decades. Orbis transforms lives by delivering the skills, resources and knowledge needed to deliver accessible quality eye care.
Working in collaboration with local partners, including hospitals, universities, government agencies and ministries of health, Orbis provides hands-on ophthalmology training, strengthens healthcare infrastructure and advocates for the prioritization of eye health on public health agendas. Orbis operates the world's only Flying Eye Hospital, a fully accredited ophthalmic teaching hospital on board an MD-10 aircraft, and an award-winning telemedicine platform, Cybersight. For the past ten consecutive years, Orbis has achieved Charity Navigator’s coveted four-star rating for demonstrating strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency, placing Orbis in the top 3% of U.S. charities. In 2021, Orbis earned GuideStar’s Platinum Seal of Transparency.
For over 60 years, HOYA Vision Care has been a passionate and global leader in optical technology innovation. As a manufacturer of high quality, high performing eyeglass lenses, HOYA continues to drive optical technology innovation with the aim of finding the best vision care solutions for Eye Care Professionals. The company supplies lenses in 52 countries with a network of over 18,000 employees and 45 laboratories around the globe.