NEW YORK—A new fundraising concept has begun to take hold, and not just among philanthropists. Public fundraising, or crowdfunding, is a new way that businesses are quickly raising money online, and it’s increasing in popularity across all industries—including optical. From sunglass upstarts to documentary films, eye health and fashion initiatives are popping up on websites like Kickstarter.com and Indiegogo.com, and succeeding, too. In a new feature, Crowdfunding: Catching the Public’s Eye VM takes a comprehensive look at how eyecare and eyewear projects have been acquiring funding by campaigning online.