Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO)

ABDO supports and protects the interests of dispensing opticians. It is the only UK professional body whose qualification is approved as a basis for registration with The General Optical Council and is the only approved examining body in dispensing optics.

Antique Spectacles and Other Vision Aids

A website dedicated to the history of spectacles and other optical aids. Including comprehensive information regarding the subject of the History of Eyeglasses.

Clere Vision

Clere Vision, one of the UK’s leading distributors of stylish and colourful ready readers, is supporting Vision Aid Overseas through the sale of a new range designed specially for VOA. For every pair sold Clere Vision is donating 75p. (Click here for information about how Clere Vision is supporting Vision Aid Overseas.)

Dollond & Aitchison: The Opticians

'D&A The Opticians, Titanium member, continue to support VAO by providing training facilities for VAO volunteers. D&A has also introduced 4 bursaries for D&A Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians who volunteer, and are accepted, to participate in VAO projects each year. This help and encouragement of their professional and caring employees will help to further the high standard and invaluable service that VAO provides in developing countries.'

DX

DX provides a nationwide service conveying hundreds of boxes of recycled spectacles for VAO every month. DX is the UK's leading private business to business mail company. Established in 1975, it provides more than 16,000 companies across the UK with reliable, overnight business mail and parcel delivery services. DX currently delivers over one million items per day and operates a UK-wide end-to-end network including collection, sorting and final mail delivery.

Essilor

Titanium member.

Garmin

Garmin creates cutting-edge GPS and consumer electronics devices for automotive, mobile, marine, aviation, sport and outdoor markets and is the global leader in personal navigation (source: Canalys Feb 2008). Garmin sponsors the 2008 Vision Aid Overseas Optician IronMan 70.3 competition. 

Hoya Lens UK Ltd

Titanium member. Have stored spectacles and made substantial donations.

KODAK Lens

KODAK Lens is delighted to support Vision Aid Overseas both as it's chosen company charity, and through it's marketing partnership with the nationwide network of KODAK Lens Vision Centres, where both spectacles and monetary donations are collected from members of the public on behalf of VAO.

Nidek

NIDEK are widely accepted as a principle supplier to the Ophthalmic profession. Their innovative wide range of products encapsulate the very latest in world technology.

Norville Optical Group Co Ltd

Titanium member. Kindly conduct preliminary sorting of spectacles for VAO.

Optisoft

Optisoft is the UK optical industry’s market leading software, with more practices using the dedicated practice management and clinical system than any other. Enhancing the level of care for patients, and the resulting practice profitability, Optisoft is now approaching its 20th year of serving opticians throughout the UK. Optisoft are sponsors of the Vision Aid Overseas Optician IronMan 2008.

Optometry Blog

The Optometry Blog is a community based resource centre with a focus on professional development for the optical industry.

Safilo UK Ltd

Titanium member.

The KODAK Lens Second Sight Project

The KODAK Lens Second Sight Project is a partnership between Vision Aid Overseas and KODAK Lens Vision Centres. The project encourages spectacle donors to donate £1 with their specs to help the charity raise the money needed to provide eye examinations in the developing world.

Silhouette UK Ltd

Titanium member, formerly used their warehouse to store spectacles for VAO.

Simien Lodge

The highest hotel in Africa at 3,260m. VAO volunteers have stayed here whilst working in Ethiopia.

Specsavers Opticians

Specsavers Opticians, a Titanium member, is delighted to continue their support of Vision Aid Overseas. Specsavers stores throughout the UK have collection bins where customers can deposit their unwanted glasses so that they can be used to give people in developing countries the valuable gift of sight. Several Specsavers opticians have also visited Africa with VAO to give sight tests and dispense glasses to those who would not normally have access to such services.

Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers

Founded in 1629 by Royal Charter, the company's original function was to ensure high standards of quality and service.

Ultralase Limited

VAO is delighted recently to have entered a sponsorship arrangement with Ultralase, the laser eye specialist. Ultralase will be providing regular financial support for VAO as well as inviting patients to support the charity. In addition, it will promote VAO through its national network of clinics and in its literature. Ultralase already donates hundreds of pairs of used spectacles to VAO each year and for all this assistance VAO is extremely grateful.

Vision Express

Titanium Member.

VISION 2020

Vision Aid Overseas is a member of VISION 2020. They are working together to eliminate avoidable blindness.

Carl Zeiss Ltd

Titanium member, Carl Zeiss continue to support Vision Aid Overseas by sponsoring information leaflets and donating lenses on a regular basis. Zeiss Clarity lenses are ultra-pure lenses that offer major patient benefits resulting in relaxed vision. Zeiss Clarity stands for the proven quality of Carl Zeiss branded lenses and is a byword for premium material, high quality surface and innovative coatings.