Context

In Hong Kong, eye screening is not available to disadvantaged populations. It is in the early years of life that many abnormalities can occur, which is why screening is all the more important in the early years. However, not all children have access to early detection of eye disease. Failure to detect these pathologies can therefore hinder their success at school.

 

Supported Project 

In 2021-2022, L'OCCITANE Hong Kong and the L'OCCITANE Foundation are continuing their partnership with the Hong Kong Society for the Blind. This project aims to offer eye screening services to 900 kindergarten kids and 15 detailed eye examination to a low-income group. Detailed eye examinations will also be realized to the students with visual impairments or physical disabilities. 

The overall goal is to realize operations of early detection of visual defect and assure treatments in order to prevent further deterioration of eye-sight in young children and students. This opportunity will maximize their vision related performances in schooling and other daily activities. 

Some Figures

Budget 19,930 euros

Goal 560 beneficiaries

History of the Partnership

Project supported since 2015

 

L'OCCITANE Hong Kong has been supporting the Hong Kong Society for the Blind since 2015 to help them renovate a screening bus, train medical personnel, to carry out awareness-raising and screening activities in nursery and primary schools in the country.

Using vision screening buses to provide eye screening services to kindergartens was originated at 2004 by the Hong Kong Society for the Blind. The Society is also specialized in providing detailed outreach vision assessment to the visually impaired and the disabled students where they are more relaxed in familiar and comfortable environment at school. 

In 2019, L'OCCITANE Hong Kong and the Foundation renewed its support to the NGO's project "Eye care services for the kindergarten children and visually impaired students". This new project targets children and students from underprivileged or low-income families. Screening and distribution of eyeglasses are organized in nurseries and for visually impaired or disabled students. L'OCCITANE employees arealso able to help the association to carry out eye screenings in day-care centers. The results of these medical examinations will be reported to IAPB1.


1International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness

Total budget 86,735 euros

Results since 2016 10,966 beneficiaries

Testimonial

"I DISCOVERED SZE KI WAS OFTER TURNING HER HEAD WHEN SHE WATCHED TV, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW SHE HAD SIGHT PROBLEMS AND NEEDED AN EYE TEST" SZE KI'S MUM SAYS. "WE'RE SO LUCKY THAT HER NURSERY SCHOOL JOINED THE EYE SCREENING PROGRAMME. IF IT HADN'T, HER SIGHT PROBLEM WOULD HAVE GOT WORSE AND PROBABLY BECOME IRREVERSIBLE," SHE ADDS. SZE KI'S SIGHT HAS BEEN IMPROVED AND HER REFRACTIVE ERROR HAS BEEN CORRECTED. HER ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE IN CLASS AND SCHOOL RESULTS HAVE ALSO NOTICEABLY IMPROVED".

Sze Ki's mother, beneficiary

HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND

"CHAN TSZ KI WAS SUFFERING FROM CONGENITAL BRAIN PROBLEM, SHE WAS DIAGNOSED TO HAVE BOTH VISUAL AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, SHE JOINED THE OUTREACH COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAMINATION AT EBENEZER SCHOOL. VISUAL ACUITY WAS 6/36 IN BOTH EYES WHICH WAS CLASSIFIED AS MODERATE VISUAL IMPAIRMENT ACCORDING TO THE DEFINITION BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. REFRACTION SHOWED HIGH HYPEROPIA IN BOTH EYES AND SPECTACLES WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE OPTOMETRIST. TSZ KI USED THE L'OCCITANE FUNDS TO PRESCRIBE A PAIR OF SPECTACLES FOR DISTANCE, THIS NOT ONLY HELPED HER TO IMPROVE VISION BUT ALSO LET US USE OF HER RESIDUAL VISION MORE APPROPRIETELY, SO TO HELP LEARNING AT SCHOOL."

Chan Tsz Ki, beneficiary from the Hong Kong Society for the Blind's project in 2019-2020

HONG KONG SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND