The 10,000 eye test

The plan is to test 10,000 High School students and find out who needs eyewear. If historical data are correct, an estimated 3,300 of those students will need eyeglasses because one out of three people in the world have been observed to have vision problems that are corrected by wearing eyeglasses. The current charge for such testing is at P200 per person, so the cost to test 10,000 kids would be P2 million without counting the logistics and organizing cost involved.

The project starts by visiting three of the largest high schools in the Philippines, setting up multiple testing stations in their gym or multi-purpose center and putting the High School children through the process. Just like you would in an optical shop, the students go through a four-step process that involves tests for Visual Acuity where they read an Eye chart. Then they go to the next station for Computerized Refraction where electronics and a computer tests the students and gives out a reading or “grades.” Those results will then be cross-referenced in the next station where each student undergo Subjective Refraction where they place lenses close to the grades provided by the computer. This is where you get to look like a mad scientist with extremely weird frames and thick glasses and re-read the Eye Chart.

After all three tests, the Optometrists will then send the students to the Frames & Dispensing if they need glasses, to select the frame they like and then the necessary lenses are fit in and students have new eyeglasses on the spot and all for free. If 3,300 students got prescription “glasses” that alone would cost somewhere of P1,980,000. So the test and prescription lenses would total to P3,980,000.

The campaign to test 10,000 Filipino High School kids is called “EYE CAN SUCCEED.” It is NOT a government project. It is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the world’s leading ophthalmic optics company: “Essilor” and its foundation The Essilor Vision Foundation. EVF was “launched in 2014 with the objective to unify Essilor’s philanthropic activities in the ASEAN region under one banner in order to help address the global issue of uncorrected poor vision which affects over 2.5 billion people around the world. EVF ASEAN has since screened over 120,000 people and equipped an estimated 50,000 persons with free spectacles.”

Lauren Wyper, EVF associate director for communications shared that “It is alarming to learn that many of our target public school students have never had their eyes checked up at all. Launching the Eye Can Succeed campaign here in the Philippines not only helps fulfill the foundation’s mission of enabling Filipinos to have better lives through better sight, but also enables us to spread the awareness on the importance of proper eye care through an expanded network consisting of academic institutions, the media, and local campaign ambassador Piolo Pascual.”

While most adults are able to determine or express their problems with poor eyesight, many children especially in high school either grow up with vision issues or don’t have the means to get tested much less buy the required eyewear. As a child our daughter Hannah always complained about “the day light” being too strong or hurting her eyes. It took a while before we figured out that she was not merely being sensitive but had a vision problem that hurt her and impeded her performance in many areas especially outdoor activities. We also learned how poor her eyesight was and this also affected her reading skills. So regardless of financial means, people must first be aware of the importance of healthy eyesight, regular eye checkups every year, and paying attention to signs or conditions triggered by poor eyesight.

I went with Hannah to the launch of the “EYE CAN SUCCEED” yesterday at the Rizal High School in Pasig City that holds the reputation of being the largest High School in the World. I was really curious to see how the Essilor Vision Foundation would go about testing the first 3,000 out of 10,000 students. As if to raise the bar of difficulty they even invited the respected actor and Essilor’s brand Ambassador Piolo Pascual to grace the occasion and teach the students about the importance of having good eyesight and care.

In order to achieve all that, Essilor executives Dr. Emily Roleda – Essilor G.M (Philippines), Germaine Lye – ASEAN Coordinator for Essilor Foundation, and Lauren Wyper – Associate Director for Mission Communications tapped the support of 20 Doctors and Interns (Optometrists) from the Manila Central University, 40 Rizal High School student volunteers, 20 Essilor Philippines staff, 5 from EVF, 15 Essilor volunteers who were not employees and a host of suppliers who took care of logistics, communications etc.

To be honest I was expecting pandemonium but I guess after years of running the biggest High School in the world, Principal Virginia Membrebe has developed super power skills and stares that could stop a stampede of teenagers. Rizal high is also so used to hosting celebrities, politicians and corporations. The students came in by batches based on clockwork, they happily took part in the tests, and as I watched a number of them at the Dispensing section, I found out that they did not generally go for the loud colors or contrasts. Most students picked subtle versions of red and blue and I was told that this was to match their school uniforms. I also did not hear anyone cracking jokes about people having “Four Eyes” or looking dorky or nerdy.

By mid-day, I simply had to compliment Emily Roleda and her counterparts at EVF because the testing was a very valuable service to public school kids. But more than that, the Essilor campaign shows the next generation how valuable eye care and eye wear is because the company was willing to give and invest in their future.

“Those who sow sparingly will also reap sparingly” – 2Cor. 9:6