Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy: New, free glasses for people in precarious situations

More than 11,000 pairs of glasses donated; more than 250 partner organizations; a team of thirty volunteers including opticians, ophthalmologists, and orthoptists; around fifteen professional partners involved in the form of skills sponsorship: the figures speak for themselves.

Founded in Bures-sur-Yvette, in the Paris region, around fifteen years ago by three opticians and an ophthalmologist, the Vision Solidarité association has since spread throughout France, eventually settling in Vandœuvre.

Designed to facilitate access to visual health, it is aimed at all people who do not benefit from the 0 remaining charge of 100% health.

"It is estimated that 4 million French people cannot access this system, and therefore find themselves without a solution for the cost of their glasses. This is a particularly unfair situation," says Élodie Vacherot, Development and Partnerships Manager at Vision Solidarité. "Good vision is an obvious factor in social and professional integration."

Vision Solidarité has therefore set itself the goal of filling this gap by offering new, free glasses that are perfectly adapted to the vision of beneficiaries.

"We are targeting three types of public: people without supplementary health insurance, mainly students and retirees (3.3 million); beneficiaries of State Medical Aid (formerly CMU), mainly foreigners (640,000 people); and finally those who have no access to any coverage, mainly the homeless, but the number of whom remains uncertain."

Providing new, free glasses that are perfectly adapted to the vision of beneficiaries: this ambition is based on a well-established organization, but also and above all on a network of professionals committed to the fight against poverty. "Two years ago, we launched the partner opticians project to seal a collaboration with professionals in the form of skills sponsorship. They carry out the examinations on a voluntary basis. The glasses are provided thanks to donations from opticians, and the lenses are made free of charge by BBRG, a branch of Essilor. "

The deployment in Vandœuvre was made possible thanks to the commitment of volunteer opticians from the Lunettestore and Opticiens Maurice Frères stores of the Schertz Group.

The only requirement to be eligible for the system is to be referred by a social organization (associations, etc.), a local authority (CCAS), or a healthcare establishment.

From now on, every third Tuesday of the month, the Vélodrome hall will host a reception area, accessible to candidates by appointment. The first reception, which took place on June 17, has already allowed thirteen people to benefit from this service.

Vision Solidarity also operates thanks to donations from individuals, professional volunteering, and the involvement of social organizations. Contact and information: [email protected]