Shri Amitabh Bachchan is the new See Now Ambassador and has launched our new campaign in Uttar Pradesh that is expected to reach tens of millions of Indians with a simple ask: go and get your vision checked.
Across five districts in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh – Unnao, Lucknow, Raebareli, Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur – Mr Bachchan’s voice and image will be sent across radio, television, billboards, social media and Whatsapp to provide information on eye health issues, local services and how to access
them.
“Vision problems are extremely common in India, currently about 550 million Indians have serious vision problems which affect their families, their work and their quality of life. The basic lack of understanding and awareness of how eye health works leads to stigma around simple and easy treatments. People are often not aware of the availability in their area of quality eye care services. It really is very simple to avoid a lot of different sorts of blindness by preventative care” – Shri Amitabh Bachchan.
The social impacts of vision loss in India are extreme:
• Almost half of all drivers having impaired vision, creating a public safety issue;
• Women account for 67% of vision problems, but are 40% less likely to access services;
• Vision impairment is the second highest risk factor for learning difficulties in children;
• Poor vision accounts for $37 billion in lost annual productivity.
The central solution lies in raising awareness of the importance of eye health, and the safe, simple and available services that exist. Amitabh Bachchan has chosen to support this campaign to help raise awareness and urge people to go and get their vision checked at government approved services.
He is a proud wearer of glasses, and hopes that this will encourage others to wear glasses without any stigma. The campaign is partnering with Essilor Vision Foundation, Sightsavers India and Vision2020 India among other local partners.
Through partnership with Sightsavers and Essilor 2.5 NVG, the campaign has also profiled “eye heroes” who work to restore vision and fit glasses. The campaign includes an interactive call centre to allow people in those districts to find out where their nearest Sightsavers eye camp or Eye Mitra Optician is located. If none are located in the vicinity, it will register the location to request for an eye camp in the future.
People in the campaign areas can put in a missed call to 9266 021 666 to hear a recorded message from Mr Bachchan and find out where their nearest eye health service is located. Only available during the campaign period (June-July 2019).
Proud campaign partners:
