Vision Direct is dedicated to assisting the greater community at large. We are working in two main areas to assist in the provision of eyeglasses for those in need: through our sponsorship program designed to help low-income, hard-working adults across the globe; and by partnering with NGOs and other charity foundations in fighting blindness and aiding those with vision disabilities in impoverished regions.

Vision Direct sponsors hard-working adults who are unable to afford the prescription glasses they need to move to the next phase of their lives. Vision Direct helps these motivated people by providing prescription glasses free of charge because the company recognizes that everyone needs a helping hand at some point to achieve their dreams.

If you are an exceptionally disciplined and motivated adult in need of glasses, but unable to afford them, please send us a detailed explanation of your current situation including why you deserve free eyeglasses and what you will do with your enhanced vision if you were to receive the eyewear you needed. Artists, musicians, athletes, and even struggling writers can apply, as long as you have demonstrated hard, on-going work in the pursuit of a goal then we want to hear from you.

Vision Direct recognizes its position within the community and provides free prescription eyewear or sunglasses to those in need that have worked hard and need a helping hand to get to the next level.

Click here to contact us about our sponsorship program

Vision Direct is proud to be sponsoring “Go West,” a West Australian team of four men competing in the Woodvale rowing race across the Indian Ocean, a first of its kind. Known as “The World’s Toughest Rowing Race,” these four men will be testing their strengths and abilities out on the rough seas of the Indian Ocean. Andrew Taylor, Pete Tomic, David Louw and Matt Hort make up this dynamic team of four and are all active members of the West Australia Rowing club. They have spent the last 12 months undergoing rigorous training for this gruelling challenge in order to raise funds and awareness for Surf Life Saving Western Australia activities.

To aid their vision in the unpredictable weather conditions of the Indian Ocean, the “Go West” team will be sporting Oakley, Adidas, Nike and Rudy sunglasses donated by us at Vision Direct. These designer sunglasses have been specially chosen for their ability to provide ultimate comfort and durability under rugged conditions. As they set off on 19th April from Geraldton in West Australia, the Vision Direct team will be tracking the team’s progress along the 6,000km journey to the balmy seas of Mauritius.

Estimated to take 60 days of rowing, the energetic “Go West” team is eager to complete the race in just 45 days. Well-equipped with a Woodvale Fours class boat fitted with a GPS navigation unit and a reverse-osmosis machine to purify sea water for drinking , as well as sporting the Vision Direct logo, we are confident the ambitious bunch of Aussies will have the waves on their side to help them reach the winning line.

Communities are powered by the multitude of social organizations that work tirelessly to help those in need. These organizations have the skills to appropriately analyze needs, and the resources to implement change. These organizations have the frameworks for improving local communities already firmly in place, and have developed insight and strong relationships with the communities in which they work.

Vision Direct assists those in need effectively by forging links with these organizations by providing free prescription eyeglasses to the impoverished of the developing world. By working with organizations that have frameworks already in place Vision Direct can rely on their countless years in the optical industry by putting together global suppliers who also have similar ideals.

Want to learn more about the global need, click here.

Orbis International
http://www.orbis.org/

As part of Vision Direct’s regular commitment to NGO's and charity foundations, in March 2008, the company provided, free of charge, $10,000 worth of prescription eyeglasses to ORBIS International. The $10,000 of prescription eyeglasses came in the form of 100 eyeglasses which were given to a poor rural area (Baotou) in Inner Mongolia. ORBIS was the first organization to introduce multi-tier pricing for rural eye care services in China. Having an intimate knowledge of the availability and need for eye care services to the poor, ORBIS was an ideal partner for Vision Direct, allowing the company to make a contribution to those in great need.

Vision Direct was proud to be a sponsor of the 2008 Meriton Sydney Golf Invitational, which raises money for the Westmead Children’s Hospital. Over $250,000AUD has been raised since 2004, fifty thousand of which was donated at the 2008 tournament alone. After ten days of torrential rains, they skies cleared for the first day of the tournament and all 256 participants enjoyed this brief spot of sunshine. As the last hole was completed the rains resumed, having taken a four day pause for the charity invitational.

Vision Direct was proud to present the major prizes to the winning female competitors at the close of each day’s tournament, and prouder still to have contributed to a worthy cause.

The 2009 Meriton Sydney Golf Invitational is scheduled for March 23-26th, and is sure to be a success. The prize money for the professional winner of the tournament has increased by $12,000 to a total of $137,500AUD, and the hospital is sure to raise a large sum this year. Vision Direct is proud to announce its participation in the sponsorship program for 2009.

Vision Direct is actively seeking relationships with NGO's, charitable foundations and non-profit organizations, not only in the developing world but also in the communities where the bulk of our designer eyeglasses and sunglasses are sold. In Australasia, the UK, across Europe, and both North and South America….if you are in need, then we are interested in communicating with your organization.

If you work with an organization that assists people that are in need of prescription eyeglasses please contact us.

LINKS TO COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT

OPTOMETRY GIVING SIGHT
www.givingsight.org
Giving Sight restores vision to people in underdeveloped countries where there is little or no access to eye care. People are given an eye exam and a pair of glasses, so they can get jobs and care for their families. In a matter of minutes a child can go from being in a school for the blind to attending a regular school and leading a normal life.

SCOJO FOUNDATION
http://www.scojofoundation.com/
The Scojo Foundation has developed a micro-enterprise social entrepreneurship system allowing for reading glasses to be accessed more easily in developing countries, broadening a community's ability to access reading glasses. The foundation trains low-income men and women living in rural villages to conduct vision screenings within their communities, sell affordable reading glasses, and refer those who require advanced eye care to reputable clinics.

ORBIS International
www.orbis.org
ORBIS International lets doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers volunteer their time by travelling to underdeveloped countries via the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital. There they perform eye surgeries and educate local health professionals about proper eye care and eye health.

The International Centre for Eyecare Education
http://www.icee.org/who_we_are/index.asp

A not-for-profit, non-government organization that is helping to bring much-needed eye care to people around the world.

Fred Hollows Foundation
http://www.hollows.org.au/
The Fred Hollows Foundation has a vision for a world where no one is needlessly blind, and where Indigenous Australians enjoy the same health and life expectancy as other Australians.

Lions Clubs International?
www.lionsclubs.org
Lions Clubs International Vision Programs collect, clean, and repair used eyeglasses, which are then distributed by Lion volunteers to people who can not afford glasses. Donation centers are located throughout the world and are easily accessible.

International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
http://www.iapb.org/
VISION 20/20 – the right to sight program.

Ophthalmic Care for Undeserved Sectors
www.infocusonline.org
InFOCUS is a non-profit organization with a mission to help disadvantaged people get the eye care and eyeglasses they need to lead healthy and productive lives.

Adaptive Eyecare
http://www.adaptive-eyecare.com/
A UK research based organization creating adaptive ophthalmic lenses for the developing world.

Helen Keller International
http://www.hki.org/
“The world is full of trouble, but as long as we have people undoing trouble, we have a pretty good world.” -- Helen Keller

One World Sight Project
http://www.owsp.org/
Establishes independent, effective, sustainable national ophthalmic health care delivery systems in developing nations.

VOSH International
http://www.vosh.org/
Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity

Victorian College of Optometry/Victorian Eyecare Service
http://www.vco.org.au/home.htm
This Australian Government Service provides optometry care at nominal costs for persons who hold a pensioner concession card or health care card.

The Cancer Council Australia’s Eye Protection Statement
http://www.cancer.org.au/cancersmartlifestyle/SunSmart/sunsmart/eyeprotection.htm
This explains the Australian Standard, which classifies sunglasses and fashion glasses based on the amount of UV radiation that passes through the lenses. It also covers eye protection in the workplace, the importance of children wearing good quality sunglasses and protection levels offered by prescription glasses.

Australian Radiation and Nuclear Protection Safety Authority http://www.arpansa.gov.au/uvrg/rginfo_p7.html
Learn about the UV protection factor and what the PF means in SPF.

The Economic Impact and Cost of Vision Loss in Australia
http://cera.unimelb.edu.au/publications/clear_insight.html
How much is Vision Loss directly costing the Australian economy?

CEE/AHMRC NSW Aboriginal Eye and Visioncare Program, Australia
http://www.cababstractsplus.org/google/abstract.asp?AcNo=20053016826
An astounding 50% of blindness and 70% of vision impairment in Australia is caused by conditions that are said to be preventable or treatable.