Bono is partnering with the sunglass brand Revo to raise $10 million to improve access to eye exams and prescription eyewear for people in under-resourced places around the world. The "Buy Vision, Give Sight" program will provide $10 from the sale of every pair of Revo sunglasses to help the non-profit Brien Holden Vision Institute pay for basic eye care and train people to provide eye care and detect eye diseases in their communities.
Bono, who was diagnosed with glaucoma 20 years ago, says that "sight is a human right." He will appear in Revo advertisements supporting the initiative and will exclusively wear Revo sunglasses during U2's Innocence + Experience World Tour.
"Thanks to good medical care my eyes are okay, but tens of millions of people around the world with sight problems don't have access to glasses, or even a basic eye test," he says.
"Poor eyesight may not be life-threatening, but it dramatically affects your life and your livelihood if you aren't able to fix it. When we met with experts, they said the number one problem is untreated poor vision, which prevents a child from learning in school, or an adult from performing their job."
Bono calls the Brien Holden Vision Institute's efforts "remarkable" and "mind-expanding." He has also designed a capsule collection of five sunglass styles for Revo, debuting in late fall. The sales of those styles will also generate $10 per pair for the "Buy Vision, Give Sight" campaign.
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