Eye health seen as key to worker productivity

Delfingen employees and their families undergo free eye screening as part of the company’s eye care program.

For too long, Mary Grace Villacruz, 43, suffered from poor eyesight.

Getting corrective glasses would have easily solved her problem, but it took her a while to get a pair.

But when she finally did, her quality of life improved dramatically.

Villacruz is part of the estimated 22 percent of Filipinos who need corrective eyeglasses but do not have access to or are simply unaware of available eye care services, according to Essilor Vision Foundation (EVF), the philanthropic arm of global ophthalmic optics company Essilor International.

Globally, it is said that one of three people needs eye protection.

EVF was launched in Southeast Asia in 2014 and has partnered with the Delfingen Foundation to implement its eye care program in the Philippines.

Delfingen, a French global automotive and vehicle protection manufacturing firm, allots 1 percent of its annual net income for its foundation that focuses on health care, disability needs, education and housing of its more than 2,000 employees across the globe.

In the Philippines, Delfingen has been operating since 2000 with manufacturing sites in Cavite and Cebu.

Working together toward a bright future for eye care are (from left) Delfingen president Bernard Streit, French Ambassador to the Philippines Nicolas Galey, Essilor Manufacturing Phils. managing director Patrick Martinet and Global Business Development VP Damien Personeni.

For the second year of its eye care program, Delfingen Foundation on Feb. 3 provided eye screening to almost 300 employees and their families in its Cavite plant.

About 200, among them Villacruz, were given free corrective spectacles.

“Healthy eyesight is not just a basic human right. It also has a considerable impact on one’s work productivity,” EVF representative Germaine Lye said.

She said studies also showed that workers suffering from uncorrected vision tended to be “34 percent less productive.”

Aside from catering to employees’ needs, Delfingen said its objective was also to “raise greater awareness of adequate eye care and the importance of regular eye checkups.”

“The health of coworkers and their families and children’s education have been in the scope of Delfingen Foundation since 10 years ago. There is actually a direct link between a healthy eyesight and ability to learn,” said Delfingen president Bernard Streit.