The World Economic Forum reported last year that lost productivity among adults who need eyeglasses costs the global economy $227 billion annually. This system could easily begin reducing this huge economic loss. This kit can essentially cure poor vision, which is a disability for anyone liviing with it. At less than $5 per patient, it has a massive return on investment.

Global Vision 2020 has developed, clinically trialed, and field verified an easy to use vision distribution kit that allows almost anyone, anywhere to deliver custom, stylish, affordable, prescription eyeglasses to everyone, everywhere. Training takes less than a day, and any exiting network can add poor vision correction to its capabilities. How does this innovation work? The USee (the diagnostic tool) allows the patient to slowly adjust the refractive power of the lens in front of their eye. They naturally move from one power to the next, and can adjust until they see the eye chart clearly. The reading that provides them with this optimal vision is then used to make a pair of eyeglasses. Each eye is given the corrolating power required for best vision. These lenses are then snapped into place in a pair of lightweight, stylish, yet inexpensive frame, whch is avalable in various colors.

The USee kit lowers the educational threshold of eyeglasses dispensers from one year to one day. This has been clinically trialed at the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins, and the New England College of Optometry. It has also been extensively field trialed in four High Schools in Mozambique, remote villages in Ghana, Tanzania, Myanmar, Mail, Cote d'Ivoire, the Phillipines, Kenya, Haiti, Namibia, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe, Paraguay, El Salvador, and Malawi. We are also conducting further trials in Vietnam with the Hanoi School of Medicine to determine the best procedures to use when treating primary school aged children (ages 7 to 11). Conventional methods require an eye health professional, of which there are not nearly enough (1 to 1,000,000 in most of the developing world). Self-refraction devices (fluid filled glasses and Alvarez lens specs) provide easy distribution, but are both more expensive than snap togethers, and have less consumer acceptance of the end product.

This kit is an easy to use tool that any network could implement to help the people they serve. Distributions have been conducted by teachers, community health workers and NGO's, who work in remote locations. Global Vision 2020 needs help in two areas: 1) Funding to establish regional logistics centers 2) Distribution partners: a) Government Ministries b) NGO's who; deliver or train in health, education, drivers safety, conduct refugee or disaster relief operations, train entrepreneurs, etc.