Nectar News

EDITOR'S NOTE:  VisionSpring was awarded the $100,000 John P. McNulty Prize for making lasting positive contributions to the world.

Visionspring sells inexpensive eyeglasses to thousands of people in developing countries, allowing many to see clearly for the first time.  Co-founder Dr. Jordan Kassalow says he realized while working as an eye doctor in third world countries that "people were losing their ability to work, because they couldn't see as well as they got older.  And amazingly enough, all they needed were magnifying glasses; the kind sold in drug stores."

     Visionspring works by training "vision entrepreneurs" who are usually local women, who are then given a bag containing eyeglasses, eye charts, a repair kit and mirror.  "It's called a one hundred dollar bag," Kassalow says, "Because that's how much the bag costs to serve an entire community.  People have to realize workers in developing countries work close-up; they use their hands as weavers, tailors and artisans." Visionspring helps people in Asia, Africa and Latin America and has trained close to a thousand vision entrepreneurs around the world.

     The 46-year old optometrist says selling magnifying eyeglasses has had a positive business impact around the world. "There was a tailor in southern India who was losing his eyesight, so his work wasn't as good, and he was losing income.  After receiving glasses he was able to restore his business and dignity and self-respect.  The woman who sold him the glasses also made money, allowing her to stop living in poverty and to pay for better schools for her sons." Kassalow, who owns a practice in New York City, says the eyeglasses are sold at an average of ten percent of a person?s monthly income so the cost varies around the world.

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