No robust estimates exist on the procurement of spectacles in LMICs, but purchasing is highly fragmented with a significant number of spectacles being paid for out-of- pocket by users. According to EYElliance, in LMICs spectacles provision in 2019 was 80 per cent from the private sector, 19 per cent from the public sector and 1 per cent from NGOs. The private sector in LMICs primarily serves higher-income customer segments. According to an EYElliance analysis in five African countries, the price of spectacles is typically 30-50 per cent higher than what consumers are willing to pay, leaving an access gap for low-income groups. 8 This gap is being filled by NGOs, corporate foundations and social enterprises across LMICs.
The demand for spectacles is rapidly growing due to the following factors: 1) an ageing population and the corresponding increase in presbyopia; 2) lifestyle changes, such as increased screen time leading to a rise in myopia; and 3) a growing policy focus. Global initiatives such as WHO’s launched SPECS 2030 Initiative, which aims to support member States in achieving the 2030 target of a 40 per cent increase in effective refractive error coverage further raise awareness about the importance of spectacles in LMICs [42], [43].
For millions of people in LMICs who need spectacles, an estimated 80 per cent of procurement occurs through the private sector, while the remaining 20 per cent comes from the public sector, including NGOs, social enterprises and governments. NGOs account for around 25 per cent of the served demand, while corporate foundations— particularly OSELF—cover 50 per cent. Social enterprises contribute to less than 10 per cent of the demand. Among the governments that provide services, half offer subsidies or procure spectacles for their citizens. For example, the Indonesian Government procures 1.3 million spectacles annually.
8.EYElliance analysis. ↩︎
Based on limited available data, the procurement and provision of spectacles in LMICs appear to have grown in recent years. For example, VisionSpring, a global eyewear social enterprise, estimated 15 to 20 per cent annual increase in procurement over the last five years, with many other stakeholders reporting similar or even higher growth trends across their programmes.
The market coverage remains uneven and tied to economic development. In more developed economies like Indonesia, Nigeria and Kenya, governments are increasing the provision of spectacles, which boosts the overall demand. However, in lower- income countries such as Cambodia, Ethiopia and Liberia, governments are still highly dependent on NGOs to address the market gap, and unmet need remains very high.
Based on available data, the global aggregated NGO procurement volume for spectacles appears to be growing. In 2023, it is estimated that NGOs dispensed at least 9 million spectacles, 9 more than double the volume in 2021. According to estimates from the NGOs interviewed, the volume is expected to exceed 14 million units in 2024.
Figure 7: Aggregated NGO procurement volume for spectacles (2021–2024)
Note: 2024E is the estimated NGO procurement of spectacles in 2024
NGOs with the highest volumes in 2023 include RestoringVision (≈5 million), Sightsavers (≈ 1 million), and CBM (≈0.7 million), accounting for 74 per cent of the total aggregated volume within the NGO market. The combined volume of these three organizations in 2023 increased by 120 per cent over a two-year period. The upward trend is mainly driven by a growing focus on near-vision spectacles. RestoringVision donated 2.5 times more spectacles in 2023 than in 2021. The organization stated that the ready- made nature of near-vision spectacles allows them to quickly scale up distribution when donor funding increases. In 2022, RestoringVision raised US$3.1 million for their programmes which is a 60 per cent increase from 2021 [44].
9.Note: the volume includes NGO self-outreach programmes, procurement on behalf of governments and contributions as part of global initiatives and interventions. ↩︎
Figure 8: Volume trends for the three NGOs with the highest spectacles dispensing volume (2021–2024)
Note: Data for 2024 is not available for CBM at the time of report publication
Table 8 summarizes the procurement activities of 10 global eye health NGOs between 2021 and 2023. It provides detailed information on procurement volume, product types, suppliers and pricing. Some key procurement patterns across the NGOs are as follows:
Table 8: Illustrative NGOs providing spectacles in LMICs
| Organization | Brien Holden Foundation |
|---|---|
| About | Australian eyecare NGO; active in Australia and 5 LMICs. |
| Pairs of spectacles dispensed | |
| Type |
|
| Suppliers |
|
| Pricing |
|
| Organization | CharityVision |
|---|---|
| About | US NGO focused on restoring curable sight impairment worldwide. Active in 30 countries. |
| Pairs of spectacles dispensed |
|
| Type | NA |
| Suppliers | NA |
| Pricing | NA |
10.For 2024, an estimated total of 150,000 spectacles will be dispensed across Brien Holden’s key eye health programmes in Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Viet Nam. Pakistan accounts for 90 per cent of the total, with Papua New Guinea and Viet Nam each contributing around 5 per cent. ↩︎
11.Note: 2021-2023 volume data are retrieved from the organization’s annual reports. The volume data include eye devices, but the details of which devices and their respective percentages are not specified. ↩︎
| Organization | Christian Blind Mission (CBM) |
|---|---|
| About | International Christian NGO active in 40 countries |
| Pairs of spectacles dispensed |
|
| Type |
|
| Suppliers |
|
| Pricing | • US$3 - US$5512 |
| Organization | Fred Hollows Foundation |
|---|---|
| About | Australian NGO focused on treating and preventing vision problems across 25 countries. |
| Pairs of spectacles dispensed |
|
| Type |
|
| Suppliers |
|
| Pricing | NA |
12.Note: CBM does not handle procurement directly; their programme implementation partners manage it. Additionally, some of the spectacles they dispense are donated and provided free of charge. ↩︎
| Organization | Helen Keller International |
|---|---|
| About | NGO providing vision screenings, eye exams, and prescription spectacles for vulnerable populations. Active in Cameroon, Bangladesh and the USA. |
| Pairs of spectacles dispensed |
|
| Type |
|
| Suppliers | |
| Pricing |
|
| Organization | Light for the World |
|---|---|
| About | NGO committed to disability inclusion and eye health across 9 countries, primarily LMICs |
| Pairs of spectacles dispensed |
|
13.Plan to procure 1,500 frames and 8,000 lenses in Cameroon. ↩︎
14.Note: some spectacles are purchased from suppliers, others are directly donated by suppliers. ↩︎
15.A non-profit organization collaborating with Helen Keller to provide affordable spectacles to garment workers in Bangladesh. ↩︎
| Organization | Light for the World |
|---|---|
| Type |
|
| Suppliers |
|
| Pricing | • Prescription: US$12 - US$16 |
| Organization | Seva Foundation |
|---|---|
| About | Eye care NGO active in 20 countries |
| Pairs of spectacles dispensed |
|
| Type |
|
| Suppliers | • Some source locally and some hospital partners have existing contracts with companies like EssilorLuxottica. |
| Pricing | • Prices vary depending on the country and frame style |
| Organization | Sightsavers |
|---|---|
| About | NGO that prevents sight loss, avoidable blindness and treats eye diseases in 30 countries across Africa and Asia. |
| Pairs of spectacles dispensed |
|
| Type |
|
16.Note: the products do not include rimless single vision (SV) or sphero-cylindrical lenses. ↩︎
| Organization | Sightsavers |
|---|---|
| Suppliers |
|
| Pricing |
|
| Organization | RestoringVision |
|---|---|
| About | NGO that runs vision care and spectacles delivery programmes in more than 150 countries. It serves as a supplier to many other NGOs that integrate vision services into their programmes |
| Pairs of spectacles dispensed |
|
| Type |
|
| Suppliers | • The supplier is FGX (a company under EssilorLuxottica) who manufactures in China |
| Pricing | • Near-vision spectacles: US$0.50 |
| Organization | VisionSpring |
|---|---|
| About | Social enterprise provides spectacles, vision screening and training across 8 countries. |
| Pairs of spectacles dispensed |
|
17.Note: the numbers for 2024 and 2025 are target numbers. ↩︎
18. VisionSpring has stated the number is lower because of COVID-19. ↩︎
| Organization | VisionSpring |
|---|---|
| Type |
|
| Suppliers | • Long term contract manufacturer in Bangladesh, China, India, and Vietnam |
| Pricing |
|
Based on limited data collection, government provision for spectacles is small and many LMICs still rely on NGOs to provide spectacles. Out of 12 countries surveyed, half procure or subsidize spectacles through public sector delivery channels, with examples given below:
| South Africa | The Department of Health or provincial health departments typically manage spectacles procurement. The national and provincial tender process consists of several stages: planning, procurement initiation, selection and award, contract and implementation. When the value of the goods or services being procured is below the monetary threshold of ZAR 500,000 (US$2,860), a procuring entity may ask suppliers to directly provide quotations, instead of going through the full tender process. |
| Zambia | The government procures spectacles through public tenders or requests for proposals issued by Zambia’s Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA). The latest tender for optical frames and lenses closed in November 2024, with a total bid value of ZMW555,050 (≈US$20,900) [20]. |
Governments subsidizing spectacles include Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria and Rwanda.
50| Indonesia | The government subsidizes spectacles through its national insurance scheme. Subsidies range from IDR165,000 (≈US$11 dollars) to IDR330,000 (≈US$21 dollars). In 2018, the scheme subsidized 1,313,941 spectacles. |
| Kenya | Kenya officially launched its new national insurance scheme in October 2024, which has included spectacles as part of its social health insurance scheme benefit package [46]. A KES1,000 (≈US$8 dollars) subsidy per household is provided under the newly introduced benefit package, limited to beneficiaries below 18 years old [47]. |
| Nigeria | The National Health Insurance Scheme subsidised spectacles up to a limit of NGN10,000 (≈US$27 dollars). The Ministry of Health of Ekiti State allocated a total federal budget of NGN20 million (≈US$54,000 dollars) for eye check-up and provision of spectacles. |
| Rwanda | The national health system includes eye care services and products, including spectacles. The country’s National Plan of Action on Eye Health aimed to allocate a budget of US$20 million to national eye health services and provided 330,388 low-cost near-vision spectacles in health centres from 2018 to 2024 [48]. |