China's shortsightedness an opening for lens maker

China will overtake the United States in less than five years to become the largest market for Essilor, the world's biggest producer of corrective eye lenses.

Essilor, whose headquarters are in Paris and which makes ophthalmic lenses and equipment, said China is now the biggest market for shortsighted people. Half of the world's sufferers of myopia are in China, according to the company.

With annual sales revenue growing by 20 percent to 25 percent, Essilor says China will become its second largest market in 2015. Jean-Felix Biosse Duplan, president of Essilor's Vision Impact Institute, says China still suffers from severe eyesight problems compared to more developed nations.

He says most people neglect their vision problems despite the tremendous harm they pose.

"It's necessary to popularize eye screening or eye tests to make sure people have the correct vision, especially children, seniors and those who drive," he says. "We need more people to be aware of their vision and do something about it. The main issue is conception and awareness."

Among the high population of people with impaired vision, billions of sufferers have not had their vision uncorrected, he says, adding that in China, many young people under the age of 18 live with visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive errors.

China should follow the path set by Western countries in establishing strict and regular eye exams to ensure people's safety, Duplan says.

"Take traffic safety for instance. Some states in the US require a strict eye exam every 10 years. Most European countries also require eye exams before you get your driving license," he says.

"It is written in your driving license, for some European countries, if the driver needs glasses or contact lens to drive, but not in China."

According to a report by the institute, impaired vision reportedly affects billions of people worldwide, leading to economic losses of up to $269 billion a year.

Duplan says the institute is seeking partnerships with universities and institutions worldwide to focus on vision problems for Chinese children, students and the elderly. He says Essilor is willing to sponsor programs to better promote an awareness of vision impairment in the country.

"We are calling on researchers and opinion leaders to get involved in the fight against visual impairment, to come up with a solution for reducing the impact of impaired vision," he says. "We plan to meet with hospitals, corporations and policymakers to further address the issue of vision in China."

Essilor is looking to buy small businesses that sell sunglasses and make lenses as well as have operations online to further expand its product distribution in China.

zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 12/05/2014 page23)