Wearing spectacles can bring substantial economic returns

A little investment to help improve the blurry vision of people all across through eye glasses can bring substantial social and economic returns.

This is not merely a vague preconceived idea but it has been evident in several studies, according to a top official of the Bangladesh chapter of an international sight-saving organisation called VisionSpring.

"Several studies have proved that eye care is the only health intervention, in which the economic return could be quantifiable," said Misha Mahjabeen, country director of VisionSpring, a US-based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to eye care, especially of those who suffer from presbyopia.

An eye-related complication associated with aging is called presbyopia that results in progressively worsening ability to focus clearly on close objects.

Using spectacles, commonly known as reading glasses, can address the problem.

Though called reading glasses, it can be essential also for anyone who struggles to see any close objects.

"One 2024 Randomized Controlled Trial or RCT conducted under VisionSpring-BRAC 'Reading Glasses for Improved Livelihoods' (RGIL) initiative found that providing reading glasses increased median monthly income from US $35.30 to US $47.10 within eight months of using the vision-aid, the increase is a 33.4 per cent uplift for low-income adults in rural Bangladesh," she said, referring to local context.

She disclosed such eye-opening information while talking to the Financial Express (FE) in an exclusive interview taken at her office in the city's Gulshan area recently.

Of the people surveyed in Bangladesh's 50 villages, there were two categories, she said, adding a group of them lost income while others lost their jobs due to poor eyesight.

"We found many of the people who purchased a pair of reading glasses only at the cost of Tk 150 could return to their jobs," said Ms Mahjabeen who has diversified experience from working in Bangladesh's health, research and automotive sector before joining the present role.

US optometrist Jordan Kassalow founded VisionSpring in 2001 in the United States (USA), and the organisation now has a presence in more than 16 countries including Bangladesh and India.

Operation of the sight-saving organisation was launched in Bangladesh in 2018 as a social enterprise.

However, it has been present here since 2006 through a partnership with leading nongovernment organisation BRAC.

Currently there are eight partner organisations including BRAC, K Zaman BNSB, Marium Eye Hospital, Lions Progressive, Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital, and SAJIDA Foundation.

Apart from rural population, VisionSpring's work has significantly impacted workers in manufacturing units improving their work strength, safety and quality of life.

"It is vividly evident in the workplaces how a minor technology like eyeglasses can save us from major wastages and accidents, alongside improving productivity," said Ms Mahjabeen, an IBA graduate from the University of Dhaka.

Keeping this in view, the Bangladesh unit of VisionSpring continues to dedicate itself to providing eye care through a wide range of programmes.

The RGIL programme is structured in a way so that low-income customers pay a minimum price for glasses, under which community health workers or CHWs along with health officers of different partners are being trained and mobilised.

"For example, through BRAC's network of CHWs in Bangladesh, non-medical personnel are trained to conduct basic near-vision screening and dispense ready-made reading glasses, enabling rapid scale and keeping costs low," she said, adding

it is aligned with a guideline created by WHO, enriched with their own modules.

The RGIL programme has screened over 12 million people across 61 districts in Bangladesh as of 2024.

"This is the world's largest reading glass programme in a single country, as almost 3.0 million reading glasses have been dispatched under the programme since 2006," she claimed.

So far nearly 3.5 million people have received eyeglasses in Bangladesh through various VisionSpring programmes.

Sharing upcoming plans, she said they were looking to strengthen the reading glass programme in Bangladesh as many people are leading their lives without eyeglasses despite the fact that they need it, even though they remain unaware of it for many years.

"The 2020 National Blindness Survey in Bangladesh found that only 25 out of every 100 people who need eyeglasses have them, while WHO estimates the number is even lower, at just 20, which indicates a huge number of people are still in need of it ", she said.

"Our goal is to deliver another 2.0 million reading glasses to rural communities within the next two years," she added.

They are also expanding a programme, launched recently, for eye screening of vehicle drivers since they play a crucial role for ensuring road safety impacting many lives, she added.

Identifying challenges for eye care service in Bangladesh, she said higher duty on spectacles is one of the pressing issues that they face.

"An ordinary pair of spectacles is also categorised along with other types of luxury optical items including sunglasses and lenses, for which import duty is as high as 78 per cent," she said adding this is much higher than that of neighbouring India and Nepal.

She further said reducing the tax will also help the government raise its revenue as currently huge optical devices are brought through unofficial channels.

Another problem is that Bangladesh lacks an adequate number of optometrists and ophthalmologists. An optometrist provides primary eye care and prescribes eyeglasses, while an ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who treats eye diseases and performs surgeries.

"As per WHO guideline, Bangladesh should have at least 3,500 optometrists whereas there are hardly 300," she said.

Highlighting Bangladesh's role in sight-saving activities in the global arena, she said, Bangladesh led an initiative to incorporate eye care in universal health coverage in 2022.

Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations (UN) Rabab Fatima led the move.

Also Bangladesh is one of the three chairs of a global committee called UN Friends of Vision.

"This is the best time to highlight Bangladesh's contribution and achievement in the global arena," she added.

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