Celebrate World Sight Day: Glasses for Classes Program
On October 9th, people around the world will come together to raise awareness about blindness and vision impairment for World Sight Day. This year’s theme is Love Your Eyes, raising awareness about the importance of accessible and affordable eye care for everyone.
Why World Sight Day Matters
448 million children globally have refractive errors – vision problems that could easily be treated with timely access to quality eye care.
The number is so significant (recent reports suggest that by 2050, half the world will need glasses – the majority in low and middle-income countries) that it’s expected to easily impact a country’s economic prospects.
If children can’t see what they need to study, they can easily fall behind, fail exams and inevitably leave school with little hope of employment – a surprisingly easy route into poverty.
A report by the Overseas Development Index (ODI) said not having a pair of glasses can lock children into a lifetime of disadvantages.’
How Glasses for Classes Change Lives
Since Glasses for Classes started, we’ve given over 4000 children a pair of prescription glasses so they can see perfectly. Every year we hold three rounds of eye tests, visiting up to 10 schools per round. Children are given an initial eye test by reading the chart and move onto a thorough eye examination by ophthalmologist, Dr Irene.
Children with the poorest eyesight receive a pair of prescription glasses. On average, from eye test to receiving a pair of glasses costs £20. A good price to pay when you consider it could change the course of a child’s life.
Why Your Help Matters
With your support this World Sight Day, we’re hoping to help raise money for our 2026 Glasses for Classes clinics, where we aim to deliver 3000 pairs of glasses. Your donations will help:
- Put petrol in our van so we can reach the most rural areas.
- Pay for a team of four, including the ophthalmologist, to hold three Glasses for Classes rounds (this includes the organisation, hosting the actual clinics and distribution of glasses).
- Fund the making of glasses that can’t be made up for free (over half of our glasses are made up for free).
- Give children the chance to see clearly and achieve their ambitions.
How You Can Get Involved
- Donate: Visit our Universal Fund and donate to fund a pair of glasses.
- Fundraise: A bake sale, host a ‘glamorous glasses’ day, or a simple collection bucket – it all helps.
- Get a school involved: Do you know a school that could hold a Glasses for Classes Day? We have developed a wonderful teaching resource so schools can host their own Glasses for Classes Day. It’s a fun and creative way for children to learn about other children around the world and the importance of helping others. Find out more here.
Find out more at Glasses for Classes
📅 World Sight Day 2025: Thursday, October 9th 2025