Essilor and its Vision Foundation have renewed support of the Special Olympics with a further three-year commitment to the Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes Program until 2017.
Since 2003, Essilor has been the exclusive global supplier of ophthalmic lenses for this program and said it had helped more than 100,000 Special Olympics athletes receive prescription eyewear, protective sports eyewear and important health counselling on proper eye health and vision care.
‘This support will enable Special Olympics and its partners to strengthen this innovative vision care program, the only one of its kind exclusively focused on people with intellectual disabilities,’ said Janet Froetscher, chief Executive officer of Special Olympics International.
A spokesperson for Essilor added: ‘A great number of Special Olympics athletes suffer poor eye health, as they can be more difficult to examine, require specialist equipment and skills, and need a longer examination time. The diagnosis of an eyesight issue and subsequent treatment is often “life changing.”’