World Sight Day 2022

Question: When was the last time you had an eye exam? On October 13, millions of people will ask that question of their loved ones for World Sight Day. By pledging to get an eye exam and sharing it on social media with the hashtag #LoveYourEyes, participants will help raise awareness about how essential eye health is.

Established more than 20 years ago by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), World Sight Day strives to raise global awareness about blindness and visual impairments and to encourage people to get their eyes examined. In 2021, 3.5 million people pledged to get eye exams. This year, the IAPB strives to raise this number to 5 million people, by encouraging as many people as possible to share the hashtag #LoveYourEyes.

The World Health Organization has reported that at least one billion people worldwide have preventable vision impairments. Specifically, 19 million children have a significant visual impairment that could have been easily prevented with a proper eye exam.

Zenni is proud to once again participate in World Sight Day. We’re launching a campaign to encourage our employees, customers, and business partners to participate in loving their eyes by going out and getting an eye exam. The more people talk about it, the bigger the message becomes.

This year we kicked off World Sight Day with our first ever employee-led vision screening event. Certified earlier this year through Prevent Blindness, Zenni employees successfully screened more than 130 kids at the Boys and Girls Club of Silicon Valley, California, Smythe Clubhouse. /blog/mural-and-vision-screenings-at-boys-and-girls-club-silicon-valley”>Learn more about the event and its impact here.

Healthy vision is critical for young children to learn and achieve lifelong success. Vision impairments can impact academic achievement and hinder developmental milestones, as well as reading readiness. The Covid pandemic has further decreased access to eyecare in minority communities. Over the past two years, many more children have missed school vision screenings and well-child visits.

Zenni’s mission to provide ‘Eyewear for Everyone’ means that we strive to provide access to affordable, high-quality prescription glasses to anyone who needs them. To this end, this past year, we partnered with Prevent Blindness’ National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health to launch the Zenni Scholarship to Advance Children’s Vision. We are providing more than 300 full scholarships to professionals in community, healthcare, and early childhood development. These scholarships will enable these individuals to complete Prevent Blindness’ Children’s Vision Screening Certification course. This three-year, nationally recognized certificate program is based on national guidelines and best practices. The program supports vision screening and access to eyecare for underserved populations across the U.S., and Zenni provides free prescription glasses for every child who needs them.

Make and share your pledge to get an eye exam for World Sight Day using this IAPB link, and don’t forget to spread the word on social media with the hashtag #LoveYourEyes!

Zenni vision screening volunteers celebrate World Sight Day.

Zenni China Team wears Zenni Iris X Zenni heart-shaped glasses as they pledge to get their eyes examined.

49ers mascot Sourdough Sam shares his #LoveYourEyes message.