NAIROBI, Kenya, July 17, 2025 — The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation has achieved a significant breakthrough in addressing the global vision crisis. Since January 2025, the foundation has provided eyeglasses to over one million people in Africa, aiming to tackle the continent’s substantial unmet needs for vision correction.
Globally, approximately 2.7 billion individuals suffer from uncorrected vision problems, primarily refractive errors that can be easily fixed with eyeglasses. A particularly high proportion of these individuals are in Africa, where poor vision negatively affects academic achievement, lowers productivity, and restricts community development.
Reaching one million people in just six months highlights the potential impact of rapid and strategically coordinated vision care initiatives. This accomplishment is the result of a focused strategy that combines addressing immediate needs with building sustainable access through local infrastructure.
Philanthropic efforts ensured free care for those most in need. Simultaneously, long-term accessibility was improved by training entrepreneurs to manage rural optical centers, utilizing tele-refraction technology to compensate for a lack of specialists and shorten delivery times in remote areas.
Public-private collaborations played a vital role in accelerating progress by integrating vision care into existing healthcare systems, utilizing local resources, and achieving national-level scaling quickly. Efforts in specific countries demonstrate that close partnerships with governments can expedite the incorporation of vision care into national health strategies.
“In Zambia, we’ve seen firsthand how the ability to see clearly transforms lives, helping children succeed in school, adults return to work, and families build more secure futures. Integrating vision care into national systems is not optional; it is essential. The scale and speed of progress we’re seeing across Zambia shows what’s possible when governments and partners act decisively, and we look forward to continuing the momentum to ensure more people have access to the vision care they need,” said Dr Kennedy Lishimpi, Permanent Secretary, Technical Services, Ministry of Health, Zambia.
This year’s advancements also benefited from stronger alignment with governments through high-profile discussions held across Africa, promoting the World Health Organization’s SPECS 2030 initiative. These discussions were successful in prioritizing vision care on the health and development agendas of several nations.
“We’re proud of what this milestone represents, not just in numbers, but in the lives changed. It reflects the hard work of local teams, the trust of our partners, and the growing momentum for vision care across Africa. This is a shared achievement, and we’re just getting started,” said Mustapha Njie, Head of the Foundation, Africa.
The Foundation is dedicated to broadening access to vision care throughout Africa, in line with the World Health Organization’s SPECS 2030 initiative. As more countries adopt national vision programs, the focus will be on expanding proven delivery methods, enhancing integration within healthcare systems, and reaching the next million people even faster.
About the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is a registered charity focused on eradicating uncorrected poor vision within a generation. As part of EssilorLuxottica’s dedication to universal vision care, the Foundation strives to improve access for millions in underserved communities worldwide. It is the Global Collaborating Partner of the World Health Organization’s SPECS 2030 initiative, concentrating on refractive error, myopia prevention, and improving care access in resource-limited environments. With operations in over 130 countries, it stands as the largest organization globally focused on correcting refractive errors and providing vision care.
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Tamana Mulchand
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