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New York, NY – Mike Bloomberg today announced at the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum an effort to help restore sight and expand access to vision screenings, cataract surgeries, and eyeglasses for millions of people in the United States and low- and middle-income countries. Globally, an estimated one billion people live with untreated vision impairment, with many cases stemming from conditions that are both preventable and treatable, 90% of whom are in low- and middle-income countries. Left unaddressed, vision loss can limit learning, employment, and overall well-being, affecting multiple generations.
The global initiative includes a unique collaboration with eyewear brand Warby Parker, whose Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program works to distribute glasses to people in need around the world. This collaboration will bolster the program by enabling the distribution of millions more glasses internationally. It will also expand Pupils Project – Warby Parker’s program that works with local organizations and government agencies to provide free vision screenings, eye exams, and eyeglasses to students in need – throughout Boston, Newark, Washington, D.C., and the greater Baltimore area.
Through a $75 million investment, the initiative will conduct vision screenings for 11.5 million people, distribute nearly seven million pairs of eyeglasses, and restore sight for 250,000 people through cataract surgeries. These efforts will be implemented by partners in multiple countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and the United States.
“As many as one billion people live with a condition that is an enormous obstacle to success in school and careers: poor vision. And in most cases, it can be easily fixed,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries, and 108th mayor of New York City. “Through our new Vision Initiative, we’re teaming up with experts to expand access to screenings, eyeglasses, and cataract surgeries – and empower millions more people to fulfill their potential.”
The initiative also invests in public education campaigns to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and increase demand, particularly around cataract surgery, which remains underutilized or mistrusted in some communities. In parallel, it will strengthen data systems to track patient outcomes and improve service quality.
Additional initiative partners include:
“Since launching Warby Parker fifteen years ago, we’ve aimed to provide vision for all. Our Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program has been at the heart of that mission—to date, we’ve distributed over 20 million pairs of glasses to people in need around the world,” said Neil Blumenthal, co-founder and co-CEO of
Warby Parker. “We’ve seen firsthand that a simple pair of glasses can be life-changing. It’s a key that unlocks a person’s potential, giving them the clear vision they need to learn, work, and thrive. Now, alongside Bloomberg Philanthropies, we have an exciting opportunity to accelerate our mission, both in the U.S. and on a global scale.”
“For decades, The Fred Hollows Foundation has spearheaded the profound transformations that come from restoring sight—it truly changes everything,” said Andrea T. Sanseverino Galan, head of The Fred Hollows Foundation USA. “Restoring sight is a smart return on investment; it empowers parents to rejoin the workforce, keeps children in school and learning, and stimulates community economic development. We’re immensely proud to partner with Bloomberg Philanthropies to train ophthalmologists, cataract surgeons, and eye health workers to perform life-changing surgeries and services for people who are needlessly blind in Cambodia and Ethiopia.”
“We are delighted by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ landmark investment in eye health at such a significant scale. This partnership will help the whole sector foster innovation, scale interventions and expand access to eye health services across the world,” said Peter Holland, CEO of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. “Preventing sight loss is one of the world’s most powerful, untapped opportunities to improve quality of life, spur economic growth and meet global development goals. IAPB’s Value of Vision report shows that investment in eye health could boost low and middle-income countries’ economies by almost $450 billion each year.”
“We are honored to be part of this bold investment in eye health, which will transform the lives of millions of people worldwide,” said Pelin Munis, Ph.D., CEO, RestoringVision. “At RestoringVision, we know that a single pair of eyeglasses can unlock human potential—enabling people to work, learn, and thrive. This catalytic funding is not only a commitment to restoring sight, but also to restoring dignity, opportunity, and hope for those who need it most.”
“I am thrilled that Bloomberg Philanthropies are making this investment into vision and eye care – not just to Sightsavers but to eight other organisations across the eye health sector,” said Caroline Harper, CEO of Sightsavers. “We know only too well how neglected eye care services are. And yet screening a child’s eyesight and providing glasses is a highly effective way to help them learn. Removing someone’s cataracts enables them to see the world clearly again – which can be utterly transformative. Investment from organisations like Bloomberg Philanthropies makes it possible to tackle this health inequity. We are excited to build this partnership with them and address the vision crisis together.”
“Eyeglasses are a powerful tool for boosting earning, learning, safety, and wellbeing,” said Ella Gudwin, CEO of VisionSpring. “The Bloomberg Philanthropies Vision Initiative partners are united in a bold vision to close the clear vision gap in underserved communities worldwide.”
“The Bloomberg Philanthropies Vision Initiative represents a major step forward in addressing unmet eye health needs and improving the lives of millions of adults and children affected by vision impairment globally,” said Megan Collins, MD, MPH, Allan and Claire Jensen Professor of Ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute. “Our evaluation will leverage the expertise of world-class researchers from the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute and Bloomberg School of Public Health to tell the collective story of impact brought about by this transformative investment.”
For more information about the Bloomberg Philanthropies Vision Initiative, click here.
