The world's largest online eyewear retailer is aiming to help millions of people around the world who suffer from poor vision by donating eyeglasses each time a customer buys a pair as part of its new charitable initiative.
CoastalContacts.com launched the Change the View Project this month and will now donate one pair of eyeglasses for every pair of private label eyeglasses purchased.
The company aims to donate more than two million pairs of eyeglasses to those in need by the year 2020.
Change the View Project has donated 2,500 pairs of eyeglasses in 2011 to people in Haiti, Kenya and across North America.
The initiative aims to distribute 250,000 pairs of eyeglasses globally by the end of this year.
Roger Hardy, Founder and CEO of CoastalContacts.com, said:
"There are approximately 560 million people around the world who suffer from the effects of poor vision because they don't have access to affordable eyeglasses. Most of these people will see an immediate improvement in their lives simply by receiving a pair of eyeglasses; something most of us take for granted.
"Our goal as a company is to change the way that people buy eyewear and as leaders in a growing online eyeglasses retail sector we believe that we also have a responsibility to give something back to those in need of the most basic vision care. The Change the View Project will help us and our customers to help children and adults around the world who require vision correction but cannot access or afford it."
The Change the View Project is seeking partner organizations with health aid missions around the world to distribute eyeglasses internationally. It is also seeking distribution partners in North America.