ESSILOR Manufacturing Philippines, Inc., provider of ophthalmic goods, will kick off World Sight Day on Oct. 14 with a virtual concert featuring bespectacled folk pop band Ben&Ben.
The event, which aims to raise awareness about taking care of one’s eyesight, will be aired live on Essilor’s Facebook page.
“Our sense of sight is essential to our day to day living, but with increased screen time during the lockdown, we were exposed to UV (ultraviolet) and harmful lights. We have pushed our eyes to the limits which may have led us to experience eye strain and eye fatigue more often,” said Jinky Navo-Palteng, marketing manager of Essilor Philippines, at the campaign’s press launch on Friday.
In 2020, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness reported that around 12 million people in the Philippines suffered from vision loss, 500,000 of which were blind.
Essilor’s campaign, dubbed “Essilove: Celebrate Better Vision,” reminds everyone to visit their eye doctor regularly and have good eye health habits.
Dr. Anthony S. Ayson, a lens consultant at Essilor, shared that the 20-20-20 rule (looking out at a distance of 20 meters for 20 seconds every 20 minutes) can lessen the eye strain and fatigue caused by extended screentime.
“A main problem we [as eye doctors] encounter is the patient delaying their visits, which allows vision loss and other eye issues to develop,” he said, warning that Filipinos take eyesight for granted.
For more information on eye health, visit Essilor’s website. Until Dec. 30, customers who buy a pair of prescription eyeglasses can get their second pair at 50% off. — B. H. Lacsamana