Specsavers Bunbury celebrates 30th anniversary of The Fred Hollows Foundation with limited-edition frames

Specsavers Bunbury is celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Fred Hollows Foundation by joining forces to make Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s eye care more visible with a pair of limited-edition frames. The branch said to date it had contributed $11,000 to the $5 million donated by the eye care retailer towards the foundation’s programs in Australia. For the seventh year, Specsavers and The Fred Hollows Foundation have come together to launch limited-edition frames to raise awareness and funds — with this year’s frames featuring the artwork of contemporary Aboriginal artist Sarrita King. Specsavers Bunbury said it was encouraging locals to come in-store and purchase the limited-edition glasses, with $25 from each pair sold going to The Fred Hollows Foundation. “Our donations help to fund the running of the Lions Outback Vision Van right here in WA,” Specsavers Bunbury said. “The Vision Van is a mobile eye clinic that travels to some of our most remote communities and provides the very best optometry and ophthalmology care to those communities.” Specsavers and The Fred Hollows Foundation said they share a mutual goal of closing the gap in eye health by working collaboratively with communities to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can access high-quality, culturally safe and patient-centric eye care. Specsavers said eye and vision problems are the most common long-term health conditions experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, with 1 in 3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing some form of vision issue. It said an estimated 18,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults over 40 were living with vision impairment or blindness, but over 90 per cent of issues were preventable or treatable. The Fred Hollows Foundation chair Jane Madden said access to eye care in Australia isn’t one-size-fits-all. “Culture must play a part when it comes to delivering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health care,” Ms Madden said. “Building a workforce of trained eye health professionals who deliver culturally competent eye care is the only way that Australia can move towards closing the gap in eye health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. “We are so grateful for Specsavers’ support of this important work to make a difference and change lives for our First Nations Peoples.”