NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, June 7, 2012

For many in the developing world, the lack of access to affordable eyeglasses leads to the unnecessary loss of educational and employment opportunities. VisionSpring works to ensure that everyone in the developing world has access to eyeglasses. Founded in 2001, by Dr. Jordan Kassalow, VisionSpring has developed proprietary distribution channels in India and El Salvador to deliver high-quality, affordable eyeglasses and comprehensive eye care to the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) consumer. In addition, the Global Partnership distribution channel broadens the scope of VisionSpring’s reach by equipping partner NGOs, like BRAC in Bangladesh, to sell reading glasses.

“We are thrilled to announce that VisionSpring has sold its one millionth pair of eyeglasses today helping individuals in the developing world realize their full potential” said Dr. Jordan Kassalow, a practicing optometrist and founder of VisionSpring. “With the sale of one million pairs of glasses we have created over $216,000,000 in economic impact–but this is just the beginning. While it took us 10 years to sell our first million, we are on course to sell 10 million over the next 10 years.”

VisionSpring’s innovative distribution channels deliver glasses to the BoP through mobile and fixed location optical stores with an outreach component implemented by local people trained to be Vision Entrepreneurs. Vision Entrepreneurs conduct vision campaigns in rural areas selling glasses on site and providing customers in need of more complex eye care referrals either to a VisionSpring optical shop or reputable eye clinic in the region. VisionSpring currently operates five optical stores in El Salvador, 12 mobile optical stores in India, and delivers glasses to the BoP in 18 developing countries through its Global Partnerships channel.