OGS to Merge with Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation

Tuesday, January 30 2018 | 00 h 00 min | News

The Global Board of Optometry Giving Sight announced today that it will merge its operations into the Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation. The decision was based on a desire to ensure that by working more closely together, the entities could achieve more significant and sustained outcomes to benefit the millions of people who are needlessly blind or vision impaired simply because they can’t access an eye exam and glasses from a qualified optometrist.

“Support for public eye health has changed enormously since 2003 when Professor Brien Holden first established Optometry Giving Sight in partnership with the World Council of Optometry and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness,” said Dr. Juan Carlos Aragon, Chair of Optometry Giving Sight. “Optometry Giving Sight has done an incredible job over the past 14 years in mobilizing resources from the global optometric profession and industry to support more than 117 high impact eye and vision care projects in 39 countries around the world.

“Our goal is to ensure the campaign can continue to grow and develop. The Board feels this can be done most effectively as part of the Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation.”

Dr. Aragon advised that all current Global Board members have been invited to continue to support the campaign as part of a newly formed Advisory Board; and that he will join the Board of the Brien Holden Vision Institute Foundation. All current agreements with Optometry Giving Sight project partners will continue and the Optometry Giving Sight brand will be maintained.

Clive Miller finished up as Optometry Giving Sight CEO in December 2017 and has since accepted the newly created role of Global Head of Philanthropy for the Foundation. All other Optometry Giving Sight staff will remain working in the merged organization.

Click HERE for the full press release.