Specsavers Launches Frames with a Beautiful Vision

Specsavers Launches Frames with a Beautiful Vision

Specsavers and The Fred Hollows Foundation have joined forces with multi-award winning artist and actress, Christine Anu to launch Fred Hollows limited edition sunglasses on 1 October. The new project will see Specsavers raise funds to help 'Close the Gap' on vision loss between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, by donating $25 from the sale of each limited edition frame to The Foundation. 

The Fred Hollows limited edition sunglasses are available in two different styles and feature artwork painted by Indigenous artist, Langaliki Langaliki. The frames use Langaliki's artwork 'Ngayuku Nguara', which is the artist's depiction of her country in winter. Langaliki has undergone cataract surgery thanks to The Foundation, so she knows firsthand the valuable work The Foundation performs.

Funds raised from the initiative will be donated to The Foundation, so it can continue to treat eye conditions such as trachoma and work to end avoidable blindness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote and underserviced communities in Australia.

The inaugural Fred Hollows limited edition frame launched in 2014, used Langaliki's artwork 'Nyinnga' and sold out in record time, raising $62,500 for The Foundation's Trachoma Elimination Program in the Northern Territory. To date, Specsavers has raised more than $1.5 million for The Foundation through various initiatives, including the Specsavers Community Program and hopes to raise over $100,000 from the launch of the new Fred Hollows limited edition sunglasses.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults are six times more likely than other Australians to go blind, even though their children have better vision than the mainstream population.[1]

Christine Anu, who has a family history of eye health issues, knows the importance of looking after eye health and is passionate about the initiative.

"Eye health is a subject close to my heart. A number of my close family members suffer from eye health issues brought on by diabetes and other associated health issues, which is more prevalent among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. I am excited to be involved with such a worthy project to help Specsavers and The Foundation 'Close the Gap'," Christine stated.

 "It costs as little as $25 in some countries for one person to receive sight restoring cataract surgery performed by The Foundation, so from every pair of sunglasses sold, one person's eyesight can be saved. On top of this, the sunglasses are really special as they feature Aboriginal artwork painted by the amazing Langalaki Langalaki who has been personally touched by The Foundation," Christine continued.

Available in store from 1 October, The Foundation's founding director, Gabi Hollows, has welcomed the latest project.

"Funding is vital to help 'Close the Gap', and initiatives like this from Specsavers help us carry out sight restoring work, not just here but around the world," Gabi commented.

Four out of five people who are blind don't need to be. However, as more than a third of Indigenous adults have never had an eye exam, disorders go undiagnosed and Indigenous people are more likely than non-Indigenous people to have poor eye health," Gabi added.

The Fred Hollows limited edition sunglasses will be sold exclusively at Specsavers stores from 1 October and will retail within the '2 pairs for $199' range. Also from 1 October, at Specsavers, you can get free polarising in your prescription sunglasses*, in one pair, when you select two pairs from the $199 range or above.^ [2]

For more information visit: www.specsavers.com.au/glasses-with-a-beautiful-vision

To see Langaliki see her artwork design on a pair of Fred Hollows limited edition frames for the first time: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYSlF5K3aQ8 

To see Specsavers thank Langaliki for allowing her artwork to be transferred to Fred Hollows limited edition frames: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ic9bMvpnmk