Turning the Tide on Ocean Waste and Poor Vision: IVI Launches ‘Sea to See’ Campaign on World Sight Day

India Vision Institute (IVI) today launched 'SEA TO SEE', a campaign that will provide corrective glasses to over 25,000 people from fishing communities, turning discarded fishing nets recovered from the ocean and coasts into spectacle frames.

Launched on World Sight Day, the campaign will help make a difference to the environment as discarded fishing nets and ocean wastes trap marine life and damage coastal habitats, including coral reefs and seagrass beds. They also pose hazards to boats and navigation.

At the launch in Kottivakkam, the Deputy Consul-General and Head of Bureau of France in Chennai, Christophe Bramoullé, joined IVI in distributing reading glasses with frames made from recycled fishing nets to fishing community beneficiaries. The ‘SEA TO SEE' campaign is supported by Bourbon Offshore.

IVI’s CEO Vinod Daniel said, “The SEA TO SEE campaign will focus on community eye care and environmental sustainability. Good vision can make an immediate difference to a person’s ability to read, work and carry out everyday tasks. 'SEA TO SEE' brings together two practical goals: reaching people who need eye care and making more responsible use of resources.”

“For fishing communities, the connection is especially meaningful. Discarded fishing nets can be turned into reading glasses, benefiting those whose lives and livelihoods depend on the sea,” he added.

The campaign will build on IVI’s ongoing programs providing vision screenings and corrective spectacles to schoolchildren, workers and underserved communities across India. Through 'SEA TO SEE', IVI aims to reach more people while promoting the use of recycled materials in primary eye care.

World Sight Day draws attention to the importance of good vision and the need to make eye care accessible to everyone.