Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 18 (ANI/NewsVoir): OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation and NGO India Vision Institute (IVI) are committed to improving vision by offering free eye screening & solutions to those in need. In recognition of National Road Safety Week 2023, the program has provided free vision screening & corrective glasses to 1,000 bus drivers in and around Delhi. Furthermore, the programme envisions extending the programme to 300,000 people in the country, with provisions to provide corrective glasses to 100,000 transportation workers in need.

Commenting on the partnership, Anurag Hans, President of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation said, "Good vision is not only a basic human right, but also a commitment to five of seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In India, we also believe that eye health is a strong factor to drive the Prime Minister's Swasth Bharath mission. We are proud supporters of the UN's Global Road Safety initiative and believe that road safety and good vision go hand in hand in creating safer public spaces for all citizens. In India, we are happy to partner with IVI to help the bus drivers see better so they can discharge their duties more smoothly and in greater safety for themselves and their passengers."

IVI's CEO, Vinod Daniel, said, "IVI has Vision and Road Safety as a priority and our vision screening programs have benefited over 110,000 commercial vehicle drivers and provided spectacles to those with uncorrected refractive errors since 2022. Our partnership with EssilorLuxottica is exciting and will help us to reach and benefit more commercial vehicle drivers."

"The vision of drivers is of paramount importance to make roads safer. During our screenings earlier, we have found that 2% of drivers had severe issues with their vision, making it hard and unsafe for them to drive. This collaboration will enable us to address the problem," he noted.

The OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is a registered charitable organization reflecting the commitment of EssilorLuxottica to eliminating uncorrected poor vision in a generation. It brings together EssilorLuxottica's philanthropic, advocacy actions and investments. Headquartered in Paris, with seven regional affiliate offices including India, the Foundation has created sustainable access to vision care to millions of people in underserved communities around the world. onesight.essilorluxottica.com.

Contact: [email protected]

IVI is an Indian not-for-profit NGO with the vision to provide access to primary eye care for the underprivileged and a pair of corrective glasses to every Indian in need of one. Since 2012, IVI has helped change lives in 22 states of India, touching over 750,000 lives. Through providing better vision and a pair of free corrective glasses, our Eye See and I Learn and Eye See and I Work programs help, respectively, school children do well in studies and adults in being more productive, ensuring their safe and secure livelihood. Vision and Road Safety is another priority for IVI and it involves working with corporates/organizations on screenings and provision of free spectacles for commercial vehicle drivers. Beneficiaries have included women, children, transgender communities, workers, fisherfolk and weavers. Our outreach and advocacy activities include awareness generation, engaging communities, schools, partner institutions and others through talks, education, skill enhancement, and leadership development.

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