Our Beginnings
The Inspiration for 20/20 Vision for All
In 2018, while founder Rosie Pipada was volunteering as an English teacher at Prashanti Vidya Mandir School in Kota, Rajasthan, she noticed several students having difficulty seeing the classroom blackboard. Realizing the lack of availability of eye-care, Rosie Pipada started 20/20 Vision for All. That year, with the help of local optometrist, Prashant Tahiliani, 20/20 Vision For All provided vision screenings and access for glasses free of cost.
The Story Behind our Current Process
Meaningful Improvements Made over the Years
The first summer of the program in 2018, 20/20 Vision for All initially provided passes for students to receive free glasses and eye-care at a local optometrists, requiring them to visit the office on their own time. Upon realizing that some students did not follow up with the doctor due to issues with transportation, stigma, and other factors, 20/20 Vision for All updated its process to bring care to the classroom directly. With the inclusion of the transportable auto-refractor, 20/20 Vision for All reached 2 schools, provided 389 screenings, and gave out 83 pairs of glasses during the summer of 2019.
In 2023, we began working again in Kota after the pandemic. 20/20 Vision for All visited 2 more schools in the Kota area. In these schools, there was a noticeable uptick in visual impairments. From roughly 20% of students needing glasses pre-pandemic, now nearly 50% of students needed a pair. The optometrist suspected that the pandemic led to an increase in smartphone use, straining students' eyes. As a result, 20/20 Vision for All made another major improvement in its process. We began providing blue light and scratch protected lenses which will help reduce the effects of long-term phone use. In the summer of 2023, over 300 vision checks were performed with 121 of the new, blue light protected glasses delivered to students and staff in need.
Costs and Funding
The glasses provider we have chosen to work with is Prashant Tahiliani, a known optician in the Kota area. He provides glasses for extremely low costs for these high need students; they offer their cheapest frames that provide high effectiveness. However, 20/20 Vision for All does not compromise on quality; since 2023, we have been providing blue light and scratch protected lenses. These lenses are of the highest quality currently available in India. The cost per pair is roughly 5.5USD.
Even though the cost of the eyeglasses is relatively low, this program still needs donations to be properly sustained. These costs are subject to increases as we expand into other regions. Through support from outside resources, this program will continue to benefit the lives of children throughout Kota, and hopefully, beyond.