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ZEISS Supports World Sight Day 2024

Prioritise child eye health

Thu, 10 October 2024  

Good vision is a gift and seeing well is especially important for every child.

Good vision affects education, well-being and the outlook into the future. That is why IAPB, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness,  prioritizes child eye health for this years’ World Sight Day on October 10th. IAPB wants to create a world where every child has eye health that is accessible, available, and affordable. Currently 450 million children have a sight condition that needs treatment – especially for children in underprivileged communities this can be a challenge. ZEISS is committed to lifelong vision care and works on many initiatives to make vision care and eye health accessible for those in need. A pair of spectacles, a screening or a medical intervention can mean the world and change a life.

Euan S. Thomson, Ph.D.

President of Ophthalmology Business and Head of the Digital Business Unit at ZEISS Medical Technology

“At ZEISS Medical Technology, we have long held a deep commitment to supporting the mission of World Sight Day and the vital efforts of ophthalmologists around the world who are helping to improve the vision and eye health of children. Working together with healthcare professionals, we’re helping to digitally transform and personalize treatment pathways, making eye care more efficient and available for patients of all ages everywhere.”

Jesper Wiegandt

Chief Marketing Officer at ZEISS Vision Care

"I am really pleased whenever I see evidence of our commitment to supporting meaningful projects around the globe; projects which improve access to eye care and vision care for those in need, and so especially to underprivileged children. Lifelong eye health has to begin with our actions at young ages. Creating early awareness for how to maintain good vision can and will make a real impact on every child’s life, education, and future. And prioritizing healthy eyes as well as clear sight can help manage or even prevent vision problems as we all age. That is why we will continue to contribute to eye care and eye health with our products and solutions but also by directly getting involved with our many local projects that make a lasting impact in communities around the world."

ZEISS is dedicated to helping communities around the world improve the quality and accessibility of eye and vision care for those in need. Click on each pin on the map to learn more about some of the work ZEISS supports through its donations and partnerships.

At a glance

Social activity map

World map that shows social activities of ZEISS
Senegal

Community Eye Clinic
Joint project by ZEISS, Dentists on Wheels and the Cione Ruta de la Luz Foundation: The first community eye clinic was opened in Missirah. The ambitious project represents a significant milestone for the visual health of this large, needy population suffering from severe vision problems. 

Indonesia

Congenital Cataract
Together with its partner, Optik Tunggal, ZEISS is committed to donate 2025 pairs of spectacles for children with congenital cataract in Indonesia. Optik Tunggal and ZEISS share a common concern for children’s visual impairment and have consistently provided vision care help for the underprivileged.

India

Rare eye conditions in newborn babies
The ZEISS CLARUS 700 empowers the atlas of retinopathy of prematurity and other neonatal diseases, providing unparalleled insights into rare eye conditions in newborns to safeguard infants' vision and prevent vision loss.
 

Brasil

Vision for Future Project in 2023
Together with Renovatio NGO and the Petropolis City Hall ZEISS screened more than 2,200 children, gave medical consultation and optic when needed. ZEISS donated 302 eyeglasses.

China

Free Lunch Fund with Eye-care Charity Initiatives for Rural Children

2023 marked the 10th anniversary of ZEISS Vision Care China charity initiative for kids, together with the Free Lunch Fund under China Social Welfare Foundation. For that time ZEISS has been alongside the customers, visiting more than one 100 schools in remote areas to conduct vision screenings and eye health checks for tens of thousands of children, with free eyeglasses and eye care educational sessions. Meanwhile, more than 1.75million nutritious lunches were donated to the charity fund, caring for the healthy growth of rural children.
 

Mongolia

Restoring sight for a 5-year-old cataract patient
Five-year-old Buyandeleger was born with a cataract in her right eye. The Orbis Flying Eye Hospital team stepped in to help give Buyandeleger her full sight.

California USA

Myopia management for school-age kids
There are many options for managing or even slowing the progression of myopia in school-aged children. Dr. Leanne Liddicoat describes two cases from her clinic and how she decided on the best approach for her patients.

Mozambique

Enabling life-long eye health
Diagnostic devices from ZEISS help the Fiat Lux Foundation to enable life-long eye health for patients old and young in Mozambique.
 

India and Nepal

Aloka Vision Programme as social business in India, Nepal and beyond
ZEISS and partners provide unserved and underprivileged communities with basic quality eye care – in partnership with NGOs, hospitals, eye clinics, colleges and customers. Per year we serve about 1,000,000 patients. But often, social businesses do not reach underprivileged children, e.g. in orphanages. Here we fund eye care through our registered charity for 50-100,000 children every year.

Europe

IOFF Fellowship
Good medical training forms the basis of good health care. Since 2020, Carl Zeiss Meditec Group supports the International Ophthalmological Fellowship Foundation e.V. (IOFF). During placements lasting several months at hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment, doctors can improve their skills in ophthalmology and later harness the knowledge gained for their work in their native countries.

New York USA

Changing the way the world sees
ZEISS supports Orbis, an international nonprofit, with headquarters in New York, that builds strong and sustainable eye care systems globally, putting treatment and prevention within reach so everyone can access the eye care they need to thrive.
 

Honduras

Revolutionizing Ophthalmic Care

With advanced diagnostic equipment from ZEISS, Health in Sight Mission of Roatan is developing a self-sustaining eye clinic to provide care to those in need and revolutionize the way ophthalmic care is delivered by the mission organization through telemedicine and remote training of local doctors.

Eye care tips: What you and your kids need to know about eye health and good vision

Don’t worry! Children's eyes and their visual abilities are still developing and it’s normal that they don’t have the same vision as adults. However, if parents notice things like frequent squinting, regular headaches, problems seeing distant objects or holding books very closely they should consult an expert.

  • UV protection

    UV protection is important for the skin but also the eyes. A child's eye lets through far more UV radiation than that of an adult. Use sunglasses, clear lenses with full UV protection and a hat, especially when the sun is out.

  • Regular eye exams

    Starting when a child turns three and from there onwards, vision and eyes should be checked regularly by an expert.

  • Go outside

    Studies show that outdoor time is crucial for healthy eye development. Experts recommend at least two hours daily out and about in nature.

  • Limit screentime

    Research indicates that screen time and near work should be limited as it is known to be a risk factor for the onset and the progression of myopia.

Download

  • Good vision and eye health for children

    Poster

    Pages: 1
    File size: 576 KB
  • Atlas of Retinopathy of Prematurity and other Neonatal Retinal Diseases

    Study

    Pages: 202
    File size: 7 MB

About ZEISS

ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. In the previous fiscal year, the ZEISS Group generated annual revenue totaling 10 billion euros in its four segments Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology and Consumer Markets (status: 30 September 2023).

For its customers, ZEISS develops, produces and distributes highly innovative solutions for industrial metrology and quality assurance, microscopy solutions for the life sciences and materials research, and medical technology solutions for diagnostics and treatment in ophthalmology and microsurgery. The name ZEISS is also synonymous with the world's leading lithography optics, which are used by the chip industry to manufacture semiconductor components. There is global demand for trendsetting ZEISS brand products such as eyeglass lenses, camera lenses and binoculars.

With a portfolio aligned with future growth areas like digitalization, healthcare and Smart Production and a strong brand, ZEISS is shaping the future of technology and constantly advancing the world of optics and related fields with its solutions. The company's significant, sustainable investments in research and development lay the foundation for the success and continued expansion of ZEISS' technology and market leadership. ZEISS invests 15 percent of its revenue in research and development – this high level of expenditure has a long tradition at ZEISS and is also an investment in the future.

With more than 44,000 employees, ZEISS is active globally in around 50 countries with more than 60 sales and service locations, 35 research and development facilities, and 35 production facilities worldwide (status: 31 March 2024). Founded in 1846 in Jena, the company is headquartered in Oberkochen, Germany. The Carl Zeiss Foundation, one of the largest foundations in Germany committed to the promotion of science, is the sole owner of the holding company, Carl Zeiss AG.

Further information at www.zeiss.com

 

ZEISS Vision Care
ZEISS Vision Care is one of the world's leading manufacturers of eyeglass lenses and ophthalmic instruments. The unit is allocated to the Consumer Markets segment and develops and produces offerings for the entire eyeglass value chain that are distributed globally under the ZEISS brand.

 

ZEISS Medical Technoloy

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ISIN: DE0005313704), which is listed on the MDAX and TecDAX of the German stock exchange, is one of the world's leading medical technology companies. The Company supplies innovative technologies and application-oriented solutions designed to help doctors improve the quality of life of their patients. The Company offers complete solutions, including implants and consumables, to diagnose and treat eye diseases. The Company creates innovative visualization solutions in the field of microsurgery. With approximately 4,823 employees worldwide, the Group generated revenue of €2,089.3m in fiscal year 2022/23 (to 30 September).

The Group’s head office is located in Jena, Germany, and it has subsidiaries in Germany and abroad; more than 50 percent of its employees are based in the USA, Japan, Spain and France. The Center for Application and Research (CARIn) in Bangalore, India and the Carl Zeiss Innovations Center for Research and Development in Shanghai, China, strengthen the Company's presence in these rapidly developing economies. Around 41 percent of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG’s shares are in free float. The remaining approx. 59 percent are held by Carl Zeiss AG, one of the world’s leading groups in the optical and optoelectronic industries.

Press contact Joachim Kuss Head of Communications

ZEISS Vision Care

Press Contact Maria Conrad International PR Manager

ZEISS Vision Care

Press Contact Frank E. Smith Head of Global Communications Ophthalmic Devices

Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.

Author Renae Cazet Global OPT Communications Manager, Ophthalmic Devices

Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.


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